Patriot Brief
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What Happened: President Trump announced the U.S. is expanding drug interdiction operations in Venezuela from maritime strikes to land-based actions.
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Why It Matters: The move signals a sharp escalation in pressure on drug networks and the Maduro regime tied to narcotics trafficking.
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Bottom Line: After crippling sea routes, the Trump administration is taking the fight directly onto Venezuelan soil.
President Donald Trump signaled a major escalation in the U.S. fight against drug trafficking, announcing that American military operations targeting narcotics networks linked to Venezuela are expanding from sea to land.
Speaking candidly, Trump said U.S. forces have already shut down the vast majority of maritime drug routes and are now turning their attention inland.
🚨🇺🇸🇻🇪 BREAKING: TRUMP SAYS LAND STRIKES IN VENEZUELA ARE "STARTING"
Trump just announced the U.S. is expanding military operations from sea to land in Venezuela:
"96% of the drugs coming in by water, every one of those boats you see get shot down.
We knocked out 96% of the… https://t.co/taJemUB77Q pic.twitter.com/jr7I2l9vUh
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 12, 2025
“96% of the drugs coming in by water, every one of those boats you see get shot down,” Trump said. “We knocked out 96% of the drugs coming in by water and now we’re starting by land. By land is a lot easier. That’s going to start happening and we’re not going to have people destroying our youth, destroying our families.”
The remarks confirm what the administration has been quietly signaling for weeks. Since September, U.S. forces have carried out more than 20 strikes on alleged narco vessels in the Caribbean, operations that have reportedly killed at least 87 people. Earlier this week, American special forces also seized a massive oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, further tightening pressure on the Maduro regime.
Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela’s leadership of enabling drug cartels that flood the United States with narcotics, fueling addiction and crime. He has warned that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s “days are numbered” and has openly claimed he knows “where the bad ones live.”
Moving operations onto land marks a significant shift. While maritime interdictions have been the public face of the campaign, land-based actions suggest deeper involvement aimed at dismantling drug infrastructure closer to its source.
The administration frames the effort as a national security and public safety mission, tying the drug trade directly to American families, communities, and the fentanyl crisis devastating the country.
Whether this move leads to broader confrontation with Venezuela remains to be seen, but Trump made one thing clear: the crackdown is far from over.