President Donald Trump stated that the United States “knocked out” a significant facility in Venezuela last week, in what appears to refer to a strike on a drug trafficking site, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the original sources. Speaking on WABC’s radio show “Cats and Cosby” on Friday, Trump discussed efforts by his administration to combat drug trafficking from the region, including previous strikes on alleged drug vessels.
“And we just knocked out, I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago we knocked that out, so we hit them very hard,” Trump said during the interview.
According to The New York Times, U.S. officials confirmed that Trump was referring to a drug facility in Venezuela and that it has been eliminated, though no additional details were provided. If accurate, this would mark the first known ground attack in Venezuela since the start of Trump’s campaign against the country.
ABC News reached out to the Pentagon and the White House for comment. The Pentagon referred inquiries to the White House, while the CIA declined to comment. Trump has previously indicated for weeks that land operations in Venezuela were possible, confirming in October that he authorized the CIA to conduct operations inside the South American nation.
The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean region, deploying 15,000 troops and several warships. Earlier this month, Trump announced a “complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, targeting the government’s primary source of revenue.
Further increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump stated last week that it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down. “He can do whatever he wants, it’s alright, whatever he wants to do. If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough,” Trump said.
This is a developing story and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
Earlier we wrote that Nancy Pelosi predicts Dems reclaim House in 2026, reflects on career and Jan. 6.
