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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Earlier Tuesday morning, September 2, under the orders of President Donald J Trump, U.S. military forces conducted a kinetic strike in international waters against what it called “positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists,” allegedly transporting illegal narcotics from the Venezuelan coast. The strike resulted in the death of 11 terrorists. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike, President Trump disclosed.

“Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America,” President Trump said. “BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!”

The U.S. designated the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua, and the Cartel of the Suns as global terrorist organizations in February 2025, expanding military authority to target these groups. The US alleges that Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of the Suns are operating under the control of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“So, 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, that those days are over,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a response to Tuesday’s military strike.

Since mid-August 2025, the U.S. has deployed a substantial naval force to the Southern Caribbean and Venezuelan waters. This buildup was triggered by the Trump administration’s renewed focus on disrupting narcotrafficking networks, with Venezuela identified as a key hub.

The US deployment includes three Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers (USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham and the USS Sampson), an amphibious ready group with the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, the USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and USS Fort Lauderdale, carrying approximately 4,500 personnel, including 2,200 Marines. Additionally, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine and Boeing P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft are involved, capable of intelligence gathering and targeted strikes, if authorized.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday said his country was at “maximum preparedness” and he would constitutionally declare a “republic in arms” if the U.S. attacked Venezuela in responding to deployment of 4,500 military and naval personnel off his country’s coast in recent weeks.

Maduro’s government has deployed troops along the Venezuelan coast and border with neighboring Colombia and has urged civilians to enlist in a possible military confrontation with the US.

During his presser, Maduro accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of trying to stain Trump’s hands “with South American blood, with Caribbean blood, with Venezuelan blood.”

Except from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Monday speech:

“President Donald Trump, Mr. President Donald Trump, you have to watch out because Marco Rubio wants to stain your hands with blood, with South American blood, with Caribbean blood, with Venezuelan blood.

“They want to lead you to a bloodbath and stain your last name Trump with blood forever and ever, with a massacre against the people of Venezuela, with a terrible war against South America and the Caribbean, because this would be a full-blown war across the entire continent.

“They want to stain Donald Trump’s hands with blood.”

The only other South American leader to be indicted for operating a narcoterrorism operation was former dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega, in the late 1980s for drug trafficking racketeering, and money laundering. He threatened to close down the Panama Canal if the US invaded his country to capture him.

Noriega was captured and eventually convicted on July 10, 1992, to serve 40 years in prison which was reduced to 17 years for good behavior. He was released on September 9, 2007, but his incarceration was extended due to extradition requests from other countries. Noriega was ultimately extradited to Panama, where he faced additional charges but died in 2017 while serving his sentence there.

On August 7, the U.S. Department of State placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro due to his alleged leadership of the “Cartel of the Suns,” a drug trafficking network linked to the Venezuelan government. The U.S. Treasury Department designated the Cartel of the Suns as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization on July 25, 2025.

The Maduro’s regime is allegedly linked to narcotrafficking, money laundering, and support for terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and the ELN (National Liberation Army) in Colombia.

Author: Mario Lotmore