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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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President Donald Trump's policy of attacks on vessels he says are linked to the drug trade and the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could lead to the U.S. leader ordering air strikes on narcotics sites in the South American country, an analyst has told Newsweek.
Trump announced Tuesday a U.S. military strike on a boat off the coast of Venezuela purportedly linked to drug trafficking and terrorist networks and posted video of the strike he said killed six people.
There have been a number of similar attacks in recent weeks, coinciding with a U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean involving F-35 aircraft in Puerto Rico, eight U.S. warships and one nuclear-powered submarine.
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Prior to Tuesday’s strike, Zev Faintuch, from security firm Global Guardian, told Newsweek that Trump is likely to increase the pressure on Maduro with more strikes on vessels, and may even order attacks on sites inside Venezuela.
“It's about putting the regime in a situation where there's only bad options,” Faintuch said.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.
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Why It Matters
In his campaign to clamp down on narcotics entering the U.S., the Trump administration designated the Tren de Aragua cartel a foreign terrorist organization.
Washington linked it directly to the regime of Maduro, whom the U.S. does not recognize as the president of Venezuela, following 2024 elections he is accused of stealing.
The latest strikes show a more aggressive U.S. counternarcotics policy in the Western Hemisphere, raising concerns about unilateral military force in the region.
What To Know
Trump announced Tuesday he had ordered a “lethal kinetic strike” in international waters near Venezuela on a vessel allegedly linked to a designated terrorist organization, without specifying which group.
Trump posted on TruthSocial a video which appeared to show a stationary vessel in a body of water being hit with a projectile before exploding.
Trump said six people were killed in the strike, the latest since the administration began its operation against cartels and drug smuggling.
Faintuch, from Global Guardian, told Newsweek that Trump is probably going to increase attacks on these boats and that it is increasingly likely there will be strikes on drug production or storage sites in Venezuela.
These could involve Tomahawk missiles, which are at the center of a debate over whether they could be provided to Ukraine to fight Russia.
“I think that this administration is going to really put all the cards on the table and right now that's the military card,” he said.
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The Trump administration wants a different regime in Venezuela as part of a fusion of domestic and foreign policy goals, Faintuch added.
In August, the Trump administration doubled the bounty on Maduro’s capture to $50 million accusing him links to drug trafficking and criminal groups, claims denied by Maduro who has repeatedly accused the U.S. of trying to drive him from power.
If Venezuela sees its sovereignty violated, that will compel Maduro to act and if it acts too weak, the U.S. will continue to build up pressure within the military establishment. If Maduro reacts too strongly, that will invite more military action.
Washington's approach is to increase the likelihood of a palace coup, or have some of the military elites taking over, Faintuch said.
The idea is that some high-ranking level, high-ranking officers decide it's in everyone's best interest to just arrest Maduro and other generals and agree to elections in return for a lifting of sanctions, added Faintuch.
Following a U.S. strike on a vessel in September, Amnesty International said in a statement to Newsweek that such attacks raise serious questions about the legality, accountability and respect for international human rights law.
Former military lawyers have also questioned the legal explanations for killing suspected drug traffickers at sea instead of apprehending them, Reuters reported.
Maduro has issued a defiant message to Trump saying that his forces are on alert, although analysts do not anticipate any U.S. invasion of his country.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump on Truth Social: “The Secretary of war ordered a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO)...just off the coast of Venezuela.”
Zev Faintuch, head of research and intelligence at security firm Global Guardian: “It's near assured that we'll see more of these attacks on, ostensibly, these narco boats. It's increasingly likely that we see some form of attacks on drug production or storage sites in Venezuela.”
Felix Cook, associate director, corporate Intelligence at global intelligence and cyber security consultancy S-RM: “The Trump administration’s policy toward Venezuela remains one of ‘maximum pressure’ —the logical challenge of this is that constantly ratcheting pressure eventually becomes indistinguishable from intervention.”
What Happens Next
Felix Cook, from security intelligence firm S-RM told Newsweek that the Trump administration’s policy toward Venezuela remains one of "maximum pressure." There will be anticipation over whether there will be more strikes on vessels allegedly linked to Maduro, as the region will brace for Maduro's response.
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