Trump Orders Downing Venezuelan Jets Threatening US Caribbean Forces

President Donald Trump has authorized U.S. military forces to shoot down Venezuelan aircraft if they pose a danger to American vessels amid escalating tensions in the Caribbean. This directive came after two Venezuelan fighter jets conducted what the Pentagon described as a 'highly provocative' flyby near the USS Jason Dunham, part of U.S. counter-narcotics operations targeting the Maduro government. Trump emphasized that his military commanders have the discretion to respond swiftly if Venezuelan planes place U.S. forces in danger. The U.S. has also deployed 10 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico to reinforce these operations, alongside eight Navy vessels already active in the region. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has condemned the U.S. military buildup as the greatest threat to the continent in a century and has mobilized his armed forces and reservists, warning of armed struggle if Venezuela is attacked. The Trump administration has linked Maduro's government to drug trafficking, intensifying the confrontation with a recent deadly strike on a drug boat connected to a Venezuelan criminal group.