The Trump administration has significantly escalated tensions with Venezuela following a deadly military strike on September 2, 2025, that killed 11 people aboard a speedboat alleged to be carrying narcotics in the southern Caribbean. President Trump announced the kinetic strike from the White House, describing the vessel as operated by members of the Tren de Aragua gang and “loaded” with drugs bound for the United States.
The strike represents a major shift in U.S. counter-narcotics policy, marking the first time the administration has used military force against drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The operation was conducted under a secret directive Trump reportedly signed in July authorizing such military action against FTOs, including eight organizations from Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, and Mexico.
Since late August, the U.S. has deployed a significant military presence to the Caribbean, including at least eight warships, a submarine, and approximately 4,000 Marines and sailors. Following the September 2 strike, Trump ordered ten F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico to conduct combat air patrols and support the Southern Caribbean fleet amid growing tensions.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has responded aggressively to the U.S. military buildup, calling it “the greatest threat that has been seen on our continent in the last one hundred years.” In response to the strike and naval presence, Maduro announced the deployment of 25,000 troops to Venezuela’s borders and coastal regions, more than doubling a previously announced deployment of 10,000 soldiers.
The incident has raised questions about the legality of the strike under both U.S. and international law. Several experts have questioned the administration’s authority to conduct such operations, while Venezuela has accused the U.S. of committing extrajudicial murder. The Venezuelan government initially denied the strike occurred and claimed the video was fake, though residents from the boat’s origin town of San Juan de Unare posted tributes to the deceased on social media.
Pentagon officials have confirmed multiple incidents of Venezuelan military aircraft conducting flyovers of U.S. Navy vessels. Trump responded by authorizing U.S. forces to shoot down Venezuelan planes if they present a danger to American ships. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has indicated that more strikes against drug traffickers designated as terrorists are planned, telling deployed personnel that their mission represents “real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States.”