U.S. Drone Strikes Cartel Drug Boat, Trump Posts Video For World To See: ‘BEWARE!’
President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that U.S. military forces conducted a lethal drone strike on a Venezuelan cartel boat in the Caribbean Sea—posting video evidence for the world to see.
The dramatic footage, shared by Trump on Truth Social, captured a suspected drug-running vessel moments before it was annihilated in a precision strike. The boat was reportedly transporting narcotics for the notorious Tren de Aragua (TDA) cartel, which Trump’s administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
“Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump announced. “TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.”
According to the president, the vessel was intercepted in international waters en route to the United States. The strike reportedly killed 11 cartel members, with zero casualties among U.S. forces.
“Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America,” Trump warned. “BEWARE!”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 2, 2025
This operation follows Trump’s decision last month to deploy U.S. military assets to the southern Caribbean, sending a clear message to Venezuela’s narco-regime. Tensions between the United States and Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro have intensified, with the Trump administration doubling the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture—from $25 million to $50 million.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has led the legal offensive, citing that the DEA has linked nearly seven tons of cocaine directly to Maduro. She said over $700 million in assets tied to Maduro and his associates have been seized by the Justice Department, including private jets and luxury vehicles.
“Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TDA, Sinaloa, and the Cartel of the Suns to poison our country,” Bondi stated. “He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security.”
President Trump has made destroying drug cartels a pillar of his second-term agenda. This latest strike signals that his administration is escalating the fight—and not waiting for permission to act.