In a bold move, President Donald Trump announced 🎯 that the United States will begin land strikes against drug trafficking cartels, after claiming it has "knocked out 97 percent of the drugs coming in by water."
"The cartels are running Mexico," Trump told Fox News, without sharing detailed plans for the operation. His comments come on the heels of a months-long US military campaign targeting vessels in the Caribbean Sea accused of smuggling drugs.
Last week's dramatic raid to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife—who were flown to New York on drug trafficking and other federal charges—set the stage for these new actions. Trump also revealed expectations that US oil companies will rebuild Venezuela's energy sector.
"We are taking billions and billions of dollars' worth of oil," he said. "It'll be trillions of dollars, but we're going to be there till we straighten out the country." 🚀
The White House is hustling to expand a Friday meeting with oil executives, despite skepticism from major players in the energy market.
Trump also looks forward to "saying hello" to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado when she visits Washington next week, though he doubts her domestic support. He ruled out a near-term election in the oil-rich South American country.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance emphasized that his role includes "trying to ensure that Venezuela is stable" and that the acting government "actually listens to the United States and does what the United States needs it to do under our country's best interest."
This announcement marks a new phase in the Trump administration's aggressive approach to drug cartels and its strategy in Latin America. Stay tuned for more updates! 💥
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
