President Donald Trump delivered an explosive warning directed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro on Friday, using a profanity-laced barb during a cabinet meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The President’s comment came amid a significant military escalation in the Caribbean, where U.S. forces have been actively targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels.
When asked by a reporter about recent reports that Maduro has “offered everything” to stave off mounting U.S. pressure, President Trump was unequivocal in his response, asserting that the Venezuelan leader’s desperation stemmed from the U.S. military’s aggressive anti-narcotics campaign.
“He has offered everything, you’re right,” Trump stated. “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.”
The President’s message coincided with the latest U.S. military action in the region. The U.S. military confirmed late Friday that it has taken two survivors into custody aboard a Navy vessel following a strike on a suspected drug boat. The attack reportedly killed two other individuals, bringing the total number of deaths from these strikes to approximately 27 over the last two months.
Submarine Strike and ‘Prisoners of War’
During the meeting with President Zelenskyy, Trump provided more details on the recent operation, clarifying the nature of the vessel struck.
“We attacked a submarine,” Trump said, confirming reports that the vessel was traveling below the water. “That was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs. Just so you understand, this was not an innocent group of people.”
The U.S. military’s detention of the two survivors—the first known detainees from these operations—is raising complex legal questions. The military’s disclosure suggests the individuals are being treated as “prisoners of war,” an implicit confirmation of the Trump administration’s assertion that it is engaged in an “armed conflict” with “narcoterrorist” groups tied to the Venezuelan regime.
Escalating Pressure and Covert Operations
The latest strike and the President’s combative rhetoric are the most visible signs of an escalating multi-pronged campaign against the Maduro regime.
The President recently announced on Truth Social that he had given the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) the green light to conduct covert missions inside Venezuela. Furthermore, the administration has authorized an unprecedented use of lethal force in the Caribbean, with the President touting the operations on social media. Earlier this week, Trump confirmed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered a “lethal kinetic strike” on a “narco-terrorist vessel” which reportedly killed six male individuals in international waters.
The military pressure is also extending close to Venezuela’s mainland. Reports from The Washington Post indicate that U.S. elite Special Operations aviation forces have been conducting training exercises less than 90 miles from the Venezuelan coast, preparing for a possible land mission to “neutralize” alleged drug traffickers.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, President Maduro denounced the U.S. actions, specifically the authorization of CIA missions, as a “desperate” attempt at regime change. “How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups? Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them and repudiates them,” Maduro said in a televised address on Wednesday.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
