Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Nov 28: US President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States may soon begin targeting alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land, expanding a crackdown that has so far focused largely on the Caribbean Sea.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate during a Thanksgiving interaction with US troops stationed worldwide, Trump praised the Air Force’s 7th Bomb Wing for helping deter drug movements. “It’s about 85% stopped by sea… and we’ll be starting to stop them by land,” he said, adding that land operations would begin “very soon”.

The remarks come as the Trump administration weighs whether to take more direct military action against Venezuela under what it calls a campaign against narcoterrorism. Senior US military officials have recently held meetings with Caribbean leaders, signalling Washington’s growing focus on the region.

Since early September, the US military has intensified its presence in the Caribbean, conducting nearly two dozen strikes on vessels allegedly carrying narcotics — actions that Washington says have killed at least 82 people. The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers, has further underscored the scale of the build-up.

Last week, the US designated the Cartel de los Soles — a group Washington claims is run by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — as a foreign terrorist organisation. Maduro has dismissed the allegations, accusing the US of “fabricating” accusations to justify aggression.

Despite the mounting pressure, Trump has kept the door to diplomacy slightly open. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said he “might talk” to Maduro, adding, “We’ll see. We’re discussing this with different staff.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier this week that operations against alleged narcotraffickers would continue. “You can expect to see those strikes continue,” she said.

NBC News previously reported that most of the drug shipments intercepted in the Caribbean are believed to be bound for Europe, not the United States — a claim based on insights from US officials and narcotics experts.

During his Thanksgiving call, Trump took questions from service members. One Marine from Camp Santiago, Puerto Rico, told the president that his battalion stood ready to support US operations against narcoterror groups.

With tensions escalating and military assets now heavily deployed across the Caribbean, Washington’s next move is being closely watched by regional governments and global observers.