The current administration is overseeing the largest military operation in history. This new effort aims to stem the illegal drug flow entering the U.S. by going after drug cartels in Venezuela. Under the law, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would have to notify Congress any time new plans go into effect. These plans include sending the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group, which is equipped with dozens of F-35 fighter jets, to the coast of Venezuela. This deployment is the most dramatic escalation yet. The administration is ramping up its efforts against the drug cartels and the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
On September 3, the military operation began with an air strike on a narcotrafficker’s boat. President Trump described this momentous step in an 8-minute video message to the American people. Since then, U.S. military forces have carried out these types of strikes. They were aimed at at least nine vessels associated with international narcotics smuggling. The administration alleges that these ships transported drugs. Still, they have not offered a single iota of proof that backs up this claim.
The Pentagon’s operation, dubbed Operation Martillo, aims to disrupt South American maritime drug trafficking by patrolling Central America’s coasts. It serves as advanced preparation for possible strikes against land-based targets in Venezuela. We especially take issue with the administration’s claim that the military is conducting regular operations against designated terrorist organizations (DTOs). They classify this action as a “non-international armed conflict.” Critics are rolling their eyes at this new legal justification. They challenge the legality of military operations that do not have clear Congressional authorization.
Trump has been upfront about the campaign, declaring that “The land is going to be next.” He emphasized the dangers posed by land-based drugs by adding, “The land drugs are much more dangerous for them. It’s going to be much more dangerous. You’ll be seeing that soon.”
The USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group has welcomed an all-encompassing military approach. It now boasts a loitering swarm of lethality that includes stealthy 5th-generation fighter jets and surveillance aircraft, greatly enhancing its capacity to neutralize Venezuela’s air-defense networks. The administration is clearly serious about increasing its firepower in this area. Its aim is to extend U.S. special operations and drone strikes to land targets.
Unsurprisingly, Trump’s rhetoric around this operation has been especially violent and inflammatory. He stated, “I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK?” and further remarked, “We’re going to kill them, you know they’re going to be, like, dead.” These declarations illustrate a more hardline approach to addressing the challenges associated with drug trafficking. These types of problems have plagued the United States for generations.
This recent operation represents an important change in the nature of U.S. military involvement in the Caribbean and South America. The administration thus far has been stepping up its campaign against Venezuelan cartels and the Maduro government itself. This enforcement action indicates their serious dedication to addressing what they call a growing menace of drug-related violence.