President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that any country he believes is producing drugs destined illegally for the United States could face military attack.
Speaking during a question-and-answer session at the White House, Trump said strikes on land targets inside Venezuela would begin “very soon.” He has repeatedly accused the country of engaging in narco-terrorism.
The remarks followed a lengthy cabinet meeting in which Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed responsibility for the killing of two survivors of an alleged drug smuggling boat attack in September. Responsibility for the second strike, which killed the survivors, was placed on a navy admiral.
Asked whether Venezuela was the only target, Trump said any nation producing drugs for contraband was “fair game.” He echoed earlier threats directed at Mexico and added that he had “heard” Colombia was producing cocaine.
“If they come in through a certain country, or any country, or if we think they’re building mills, whether it’s fentanyl or cocaine … anybody doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack. Not just Venezuela,” Trump said.
He went on to say military action inside Venezuela was imminent, escalating a conflict that began with targeted attacks on vessels his administration identified as drug traffickers. No public evidence has been provided to support those claims.
“We’re going to start doing those strikes on land, too,” Trump said. “The land is much easier. We know the routes they take. We know everything about them. We know where they live. We know where the bad ones live, and we’re going to start that very soon too. When we start that, we’re going to drive those numbers down so low.”
During the cabinet meeting, Hegseth gave a conflicting account of his role in the September 2 incident. He said he watched the first strike but did not remain for the hours afterward, when two survivors clinging to the boat were fired upon and killed.
That statement contradicted his comments to Fox News the following day, when he said he had watched the operation in real time and made no suggestion he had only witnessed part of it.
The admiral who ordered the second strike, Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley, is scheduled to brief congressional committees on Thursday.
