Donald Trump has made a decision regarding two individuals labeled as ‘terrorists’ who were apprehended from the remnants of a Venezuelan ‘drug boat’ targeted in a recent U.S. military strike.
The president revealed that two of the individuals were traveling with ‘known narcoterrorists’ aboard a submarine headed to the United States, which was laden with ‘mostly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics’ at the time of the attack late Thursday.
Trump confirmed the demise of two of these alleged terrorists during the strike, sharing a dramatic image capturing the moment of impact.
The other two individuals will be repatriated to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia, where they will face detention and prosecution, Trump announced.
He assured that no U.S. troops were harmed in the operation.
“Under my administration, the United States of America will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, whether by land or by sea,” Trump declared.
The Daily Mail reached out to the White House and the Department of War for additional information.
Donald Trump shared new footage of the strike on Truth Social, which revealed the moment the submarine popped out of the Caribbean Sea
The president announced that the two surviving ‘terrorists’ aboard a submarine will be sent back to their home countries
Sources close to the matter told The New York Times that the two survivors were rescued by the Navy and Coast Guard
The military strike occurred late on Thursday night when the alleged smugglers were traveling in the Caribbean Sea.
Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the targeted vessel was carrying ‘massive amounts of drugs.’
‘Just so you understand, this was not an innocent group of people,’ the president added.
Officials told the New York Times that intelligence analysts assessed that the submarine was carrying drugs before the strike.
Analysts watching the strike on a video feed noticed the two survivors bobbing in the water among the wreckage of the submarine.
The two survivors were rescued by Navy and Coast Guard helicopters and brought to a ship with medical facilities, according to the Times.
Two sources familiar with the matter told the Washington Post that the two survivors weren’t injured. It’s unclear if they have ties to Venezuelan criminal organizations.
The decision to send the survivors back to their home countries strays from the status quo.
In past foreign conflicts, officials would typically detain and prosecute enemy fighters and drug runners in the US justice system.
The President unveiled on Truth Social earlier this week that Secretary of War ordered the ‘lethal kinetic’ on a narco-terrorist vessel
The latest comes after US elite Special Operations aviation forces flew less than 90 miles from the coast of Venezuela, according to the Washington Post.
An official said that the helicopters were conducting training exercises for a possible land mission into Venezuela to neutralized alleged drug traffickers.
Over the last two months, the US military has struck five Venezuelan boats carrying illegal narcotics in the Caribbean sea, killing approximately 27 people.
It comes after US defense officials announced the deployment of over 4,000 Marines and sailors to the waters surrounding Latin America and the Caribbean as part of the president’s crackdown on drug cartels.
On Wednesday, Trump revealed that he has given the Central Intelligence Agency permission to conduct missions inside Venezuela.
The President also unveiled on Truth Social earlier this week that Secretary of War ordered the ‘lethal kinetic’ on a narco-terrorist vessel.
Trump said that Pete Hegseth conducted the deadly operation with his permission.
The operation is believed to have killed six male narco-terrorists aboard the drug vessel while they were traveling in international waters.
On Wednesday, Trump revealed that he has given the Central Intelligence Agency permission to conduct missions inside Venezuela
Last month, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil (pictured) condemned the US for allegedly ‘illegally and hostilely’ detaining a fishing vessel in its waters using the USS, a US Navy destroyer (pictured)
The strikes strikes have further heightened tensions between the two countries, which have escalated in recent months following Washington’s deployment of spy planes, a warship, and even a submarine to the southern Caribbean Sea (pictured)
On Friday, Trump sent a massive F-bomb to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro during a cabinet meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
A reporter asked the president about how Maduro has ‘offered everything’ to him following US airstrikes on Venezuelan drug boats.
He snapped back with a quick response directed at Maduro: ‘He has offered everything, you’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.’
Last month, Venezuela’s foreign minister condemned the US for allegedly ‘illegally and hostilely’ detaining a fishing vessel in its waters using the USS, a US Navy destroyer.
The boat, which the ministry said was crewed by nine tuna fishermen, was sailing 48 nautical miles northeast of La Blanquilla Island – Venezuelan territory.
Although the nine-man crew was released under escort by the Venezuelan navy, Foreign Minister Yván Gil demanded that the US ‘immediately cease these actions that endanger security and peace in the Caribbean.’
His statement also called on US citizens to ‘recognize the seriousness of these maneuvers and reject the use of their soldiers as sacrificial pieces to sustain the desires of a greedy and predatory elite.’
Venezuela ultimately warned that it will defend its sovereignty against any form of ‘provocation.’
Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro (pictured), threatened to ‘declare a republic in arms’ if attacked by American forces
Attorney General Pam Bondi (pictured) announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the capture and arrest of Maduro, saying he uses ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ to ‘bring deadly drugs and violence into our country’
Nearly seven tons of seized cocaine was linked to Maduro himself and represents a primary source of income for gangs operating in Venezuela and Mexico (pictured: alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a gang Maduro is accused of working with)
The boat strikes have further heightened tensions between the two countries, which have escalated in recent months following Washington’s deployment of spy planes, a warship, and even a submarine to the southern Caribbean Sea.
Maduro, who the US does not recognize as the legitimate president of the country after an election last year, threatened to ‘declare a republic in arms’ if attacked by American forces.
He declared that his country was at ‘maximum preparedness’ during a news conference in response to the increased US maritime presence near Venezuelan waters.
The leftist leader characterized the US operation as ‘an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.’
He then warned that US military action against Venezuela would ‘stain’ President Trump’s ‘hands with blood.’
But Trump has only continued to ramp up pressure on Maduro, whom he accuses of leading a cocaine trafficking cartel.
In August, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the capture and arrest of Maduro, saying he uses ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ to ‘bring deadly drugs and violence into our country.’
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has so far seized 30 tons of cocaine that were subsequently linked to Maduro and his associates, according to AG Biondi.
Nearly seven tons of that total was linked to Maduro himself, she added, explaining that this represents a primary source of income for gangs operating in Venezuela and Mexico.
Maduro has since announced the deployment of troops, police, and civilian militias across 284 ‘battlefront’ locations, reinforcing earlier troop increases along the Colombian border.
The Venezuelan government has called on its citizens to enlist in militias – armed volunteer groups – to support security forces in the event of a potential bombardment.
