US Expands Military Strikes Against Venezuelan Drug Traffickers

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy aboard the USS George H.W. Bush and revealed that the U.S. conducted another strike on an alleged cartel drug boat, marking the fourth such attack in the Caribbean region targeting drug trafficking vessels linked to Venezuela's Tren de Aragua network. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed these strikes, stating that the vessels were involved in narcotics trafficking and labeling those aboard as "narco-terrorists," with the strikes continuing until attacks on Americans cease. President Trump highlighted the deadly impact of these drugs, claiming the seized narcotics could kill thousands, and indicated a potential shift of anti-cartel operations from sea to land as drug traffickers avoid the waters. The administration justifies these military actions by declaring a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist drug cartels, although this approach has sparked criticism from figures like Senator Rand Paul, who questioned the constitutional authority for such strikes without explicit Congressional approval. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and UN experts have condemned the U.S. strikes, accusing the administration of using drug trafficking allegations as a pretext for intimidation and regime change efforts in Venezuela. These developments underscore the Trump administration's aggressive stance on combating drug cartels through expanded military operations in the Caribbean and potentially on land.