Trump Deploys Destroyers to Venezuela Waters Amid Cartel Push/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S. is deploying three guided-missile destroyers near Venezuela as part of President Trump’s expanded effort to target Latin American cartels. The move follows new terrorist designations against groups like Tren de Aragua and MS-13. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the action, mobilizing militias in response.
Venezuela Deployment Quick Looks
- USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson sent to Venezuela’s waters.
- Ships deployed for counter-narcotics operations expected to last several months.
- Trump blames cartels for fentanyl and urban U.S. violence.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum resists U.S. military involvement on Mexican soil.
- Trump designated Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and six Mexican groups as terrorist organizations.
- Move blurs distinction between terror groups and crime syndicates.
- Maduro denounces U.S. escalation, mobilizes 4.5 million militia members nationwide.
- U.S. doubled reward for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.
- Maduro previously indicted in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges.
- Tensions rise as U.S. steps up military and legal pressure on Venezuela.
Deep Look: U.S. Navy Destroyers Move Off Venezuela as Trump Ramps Up Anti-Cartel Campaign
WASHINGTON — The United States is sending three Navy destroyers to the waters off Venezuela, a high-profile show of military strength as President Donald Trump intensifies his campaign against Latin American cartels accused of trafficking fentanyl and other drugs into American communities.
According to U.S. officials, the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson are being deployed to support ongoing counter-narcotics operations in the region. The Defense Department confirmed the assignment, noting the vessels will remain deployed “over the course of several months.”
The move underscores Trump’s broader strategy of leveraging U.S. military assets in the fight against organized crime groups he has labeled existential threats to American security.
Trump Escalates Pressure on Cartels
Trump has consistently blamed cartels for fueling drug addiction and violence in U.S. cities, while also accusing them of exploiting weak border enforcement to expand their reach. His administration has tied cartels directly to fentanyl trafficking, a drug linked to tens of thousands of American overdose deaths each year.
Earlier this year, Trump formally designated several Latin American cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Among those blacklisted:
- Tren de Aragua of Venezuela.
- MS-13, the notorious Salvadoran gang.
- Six groups based in Mexico with alleged ties to drug smuggling and migrant trafficking.
Such designations, typically reserved for groups like al-Qaida or ISIS, highlight the administration’s efforts to treat cartels as global security threats rather than just criminal networks.
Friction with Mexico and Venezuela
The deployment also risks inflaming tensions with Latin American governments. Trump has pressed Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to escalate her fight against cartels, but she has drawn a firm line against U.S. military operations on Mexican soil, citing sovereignty concerns.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denounced the U.S. escalation. On Monday, he accused Washington of threatening his nation’s sovereignty and announced the mobilization of over 4.5 million militia members.
“The empire has gone mad and renewed its threats to Venezuela’s peace and tranquility,” Maduro declared, without addressing the destroyer deployment directly.
Maduro’s Ongoing Indictment and U.S. Bounty
The destroyer deployment follows a string of moves targeting Maduro personally. The Trump administration recently doubled its reward for his arrest to $50 million, accusing him of being one of the world’s most notorious narco-traffickers.
Maduro was first indicted in 2020 in a New York federal court, during Trump’s first presidency, on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. Several of his close allies were indicted alongside him. At the time, the U.S. offered a $15 million reward for his capture.
The upgraded bounty reflects Washington’s belief that Maduro continues to collaborate with cartels to flood the U.S. with cocaine and fentanyl-laced narcotics.
A Test of U.S. Military Pressure
By sending destroyers to the region, Trump’s administration signals its willingness to escalate beyond sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Yet whether military presence will alter cartel dynamics — or Maduro’s defiance — remains uncertain.
For now, Washington insists the mission is strictly counter-narcotics focused, but analysts say it risks pushing already tense U.S.-Venezuela relations into a more volatile phase.
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