WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on October 14, 2025 that he ordered a lethal military strike on a vessel located just off the coast of Venezuela, targeting alleged narcotraffickers. Trump stated that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth carried out the strike under his direction, citing his authority as Commander-in-Chief.
According to Trump’s post, “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known DTO [Designated Terrorist Organization] route.” He added that the strike occurred in international waters, and six male narcoterrorists aboard the vessel were killed. Trump emphasized that no U.S. forces were harmed in the operation.
The strike is one of multiple recent maritime attacks by the U.S. targeting boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking. Including this one, the Trump administration has claimed to have carried out five similar strikes since September, with a reported total of 27 individuals killed.
Defense Secretary Hegseth and White House officials publicly shared video footage of the attack, showing a small vessel engulfed in flames after the strike.
Legal and international observers have raised questions about the administration’s justification for using lethal force in what the White House describes as a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels. Critics point to the lack of public evidence supporting Trump’s claims about the vessel’s cargo or ties to terrorism.
Venezuelan officials have denounced the strike as an act of aggression, and some lawmakers in the U.S. are calling for greater transparency and congressional oversight of these operations.
The Trump administration asserts that these strikes are necessary to protect the U.S. from the flow of narcotics, especially fentanyl and other deadly drugs. The conflict with cartel networks remains central to its border security and national defense agenda.
