After drug boat strikes, Trump vows to stop Venezuelan traffickers by land

President Donald Trump told U.S. military troops on Thanksgiving that he will soon authorize force to stop Venezuelan drug dealing by land, boasting that recent airstrikes have slowed drug cartels’ trafficking by sea. 

“In recent weeks, you've been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers, of which there are many," Trump said Thursday. "Of course, there aren't too many coming in by sea anymore. Have you probably noticed that?"

The War Department has launched nearly two dozen airstrikes in the Caribbean, destroying Venezuelan drug boats carrying drugs toward the United States.

Trump told troops that narco-trafficking was “85% stopped by sea."

“You probably noticed that now people aren't wanting to be delivering by sea, and we'll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon,” he said.

The president has said for weeks that he would not rule out the use of ground troops to slow the Venezuelan drug trade.