Trump Admin Conducts Lethal Strike on Venezuelan Cartel Ship

President Donald Trump defended a lethal U.S. military strike against a Venezuelan gang-operated ship, asserting it was necessary to deter drug cartels from smuggling narcotics into the United States. Trump emphasized the operation, which killed 11 individuals, would cause smugglers to think twice before attempting to bring drugs into the country, describing the intercepted drugs as a deadly threat to Americans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported the strike, warning that similar operations would continue as previous interdiction efforts have failed to stem the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of turning Venezuela into a 'narco-state' and indicated this strike could be the start of a broader campaign against Venezuelan drug cartels. Despite the administration's claims, no public evidence has been provided to confirm the vessel's operators were from the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, and the legality of the strike has been questioned by experts. The Trump administration underscores its commitment to aggressively combat drug trafficking in Latin America through offensive military actions.