Donald Trump Announces Military Strike on Ship Departing Venezuela

By

Dan Gooding is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. His focus is reporting on immigration and border security. He has covered immigration issues extensively, including the root causes of migration to the U.S., its impact on border communities and responses around the country. Dan joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent and previously worked at The Messenger, Business Insider and in U.K. local radio. He is a graduate of De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. You can get in touch with Dan by emailing d.gooding@newsweek.com. You can find him on X @DanGooding. Languages: English.

Dan Gooding
and

Gabe Whisnant is a Breaking News Editor at Newsweek based in North Carolina. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2023, he directed daily publications in North and South Carolina. As an executive editor, Gabe led award-winning coverage of Charleston church shooter Dylan Roof’s capture in 2015, along with coverage of the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. You can get in touch with Gabe by emailing g.whisnant@newsweek.com. Find him on Twitter @GabeWhisnant.

Gabe Whisnant

Politics Reporter

🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that United States forces had struck a drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean, after it departed from Venezuela.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the ship was run by a “designated narco-terrorist organization” and called the action a lethal strike. Later Tuesday in a Truth Social post, Trump said the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang. The president said 11 were killed in the operation.

Why It Matters

The move follows Washington’s recent decision to expand its naval presence off Venezuela to counter Latin American drug cartels, though officials have not signaled any plans for a land incursion. In response, President Nicolás Maduro has ordered troop deployments along the coast and border with Colombia and urged Venezuelans to join civilian militias.

What To Know

Tuesday’s announcement followed increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela after Trump’s return to the White House in January.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Navy has mobilized around 4,500 troops around the Caribbean, with the White House stating this was to target the drug trade out of Venezuela to the U.S.

Trump said Tuesday that the strike, moments before his appearance in the Oval Office, had a significant impact on a vessel carrying a large quantity of drugs. The comments backed other administration officials in recent weeks, that the South American country is a key transit hub for cocaine.

On Sunday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López declared that the country is ready to confront “any attack” from the United States, while Maduro has called the U.S.’ mobilization “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have also publicly opposed the U.S. moves in the Caribbean, warning they could escalate already high tensions.

What People Are Saying

Trump posted on Truth Social, “The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.”

Rubio, speaking to reporters before boarding his plane for a diplomatic visit to Mexico and Ecuador, said Trump “is going to be on offense against drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States. It destabilizes not just the country but the entire Caribbean basin.”

He continued, “The president has been very clear that he’s going to use the full power of America and the full might of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they’re operating from and no matter how long they’ve been able to act with impunity. Those days are over.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said at a press conference on Monday: “President Donald Trump, the pursuit of regime change is exhausted; it has failed as a policy worldwide…You cannot pretend to impose a situation in Venezuela.”

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, on Sunday on X: “Let’s Make Venezuela Great Again by capturing these terrorist group leaders. Get them off the streets and help the people of Venezuela have a vastly better life. The citizens of Venezuela don’t deserve to live under the tyrannical rule of Maduro or any of his henchmen!”

What Happens Next

It was not immediately clear if further action would be taken by the U.S. Navy against Venezuela, but Trump promised more details on the strike later in the day.

This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

Update 9/2/25, 4:30 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 9/2/25, 5:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and remarks.

Update 9/2/25, 6:45 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional remarks.