U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is considering launching land-based strikes targeting Venezuelan cartels, following a series of deadly maritime attacks on boats allegedly carrying drugs.
“We are certainly looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked whether he was weighing military action on Venezuelan territory.
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Trump declined to confirm a New York Times report claiming he had secretly authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela against the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.
Asked if he had given the CIA authority to “take out” Maduro, Trump replied, “That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”
Trump added that a recent U.S. strike on boats allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela had killed six “narcoterrorists.” At least 27 people have been killed so far in similar operations, which experts warn may raise serious legal and ethical concerns.
Critics question the legality of using lethal force in foreign or international waters against suspects who have not been intercepted or questioned. Some international law experts argue such actions could violate sovereignty and due process.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has also expressed concern, stating that he believes some of those killed in the strikes may have been Colombian nationals. He has called for an investigation and greater transparency regarding U.S. operations in the region.
As tensions between Washington and Caracas escalate, Trump’s consideration of land strikes signals a potential escalation in U.S. intervention policy—one that could heighten regional instability and invite international scrutiny.
