Trump admin warns of future attacks on drug cartels after Venezuelan ship strike

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday defended President Donald Trump's decision to strike a Venezuelan ship that allegedly contained illicit drugs and warned that similar operations could happen again.

Trump ordered the strike on the suspected drug boat on Tuesday as the United States ramps up its efforts to fight drug cartels operating out of Venezuela. Trump said that 11 "terrorists" were killed in the strike but no American forces were injured.

Rubio, who is currently on a two-day trip to Mexico and Ecuador, said previous attempts to curb the illegal flow of drugs like fentanyl into the United States have been futile, and the administration will wipe out the cartels "wherever they are."

“What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them,” Rubio told the Associated Press in Mexico.

Trump also defended his offensive tactic in taking out the Venezuelan ship, telling reporters that Tuesday's actions should deter other cartels or countries from trying to bring drugs into the United States.

“There was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people, and, everybody fully understands that,” Trump said. “Obviously, they won’t be doing it again. And I think a lot of other people won’t be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they’re going to say, ‘Let’s not do this.’”

The administration believed the drug boat was operated by the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, which is allegedly led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.