Trump says “the land is going to be next” in anti-drug campaign against Venezuela
"We’re going to kill people bringing drugs into our country"
(Editor’s Note: Although the focus of US Border News was originally the Southern Border with Mexico, given the current administration’s expansion of Border Security efforts, we have expanded our coverage, when appropriate, to the Southern American Hemisphere.)
President Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday, “the land is going to be next” in his military campaign against “narcoterrorists” that has so far been waged against small boats in international waters off Venezuela and - in recent days -Colombia.
Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to notify Congress of the administration’s upcoming plans. “Pete, you go to Congress, you tell them about it. What are they going to do? Say, ‘gee, we don’t want to stop drugs pouring in’?” Trump said.
Shifting the attacks from international waters to another country’s territory (understood by many reporters to be Venezuela) would be a major escalation in what has, so far, been an undeclared war against the cartels.
President Trump told reporters he saw no reason to declare war, “I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country — okay?” Trump said. “We’re going to kill them, you know they’re going to be like dead.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday said his country has 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles in “key air defense positions,” in the event of US military action. Maduro has been repositioning troops, mobilizing “millions” of militia members, and has been rallying supporters in recent days:
The people of Venezuela are “clear, united, and aware. They have the means to once again defeat this open conspiracy against the peace and stability of Venezuela.” -Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (Oct. 23, 2025 televised speech)
On October 15, 2025, the US Southern Command announced that the “US Air Force “B-52Hs conducted a demonstration mission… demonstrating the U.S. commitment to proactively deter adversary threats… and ensure the global force readiness necessary to respond to any contingency or challenge.”
And, in case Maduro did not get the message, the New York Times reports that two B-1 bombers from Texas “flew near Venezuela in international air space on Thursday.”
“The long-range B-1 bombers … carry up to 75,000 pounds of guided and unguided munitions, the largest nonnuclear payload of any aircraft in the Air Force arsenal.” the Times explained.
President Trump disputed the report.
The Southern Command has deployed more than 6,000 sailors and Marines on multiple warships, along with various aircraft and drones to the Caribbean. This includes an Iwo Jima-class amphibious ready group, multiple destroyers and an F-35B-equipped expeditionary unit.
Do you support the expansion of the US military action against “narco-terrorists” from international waters to include the territory of other nations?
Share your opinions in the comments to this article.
NEW FEATURE! Would you like US Border News articles to appear in your Google News feed? Click the button below!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers,
US Border News Editor
Since we are talking about failed states, that are not even trying to keep their own people safe, I'm not unsympathetic. We are at war, because they have been waging war on us for years by unconventional means.
Wouldn't Venezuela be nicer with Maria Machado behind the podium? She did win the election, after all. And a Nobel peace prize...