US-Venezuela tensions escalate: Trump warns of imminent ground strikes over drug trafficking

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump, who claims to end wars around the world in his second term and become a peacemaker, has made an announcement that has shocked the international community. Trump, who often talks about stopping 8 wars, now himself seems to be blowing the trumpet of a new conflict. President Trump has announced that America is going to launch land strikes on Venezuela soon. This statement has come at a time when diplomatic and military tensions between America and Venezuela are at their peak for the last two months. However, the President has not yet disclosed any specific date of the attacks.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on December 12, 2025, President Trump made it clear that the US was expanding its military operations from sea to land. Justifying his action, he argued that the US military had successfully stopped 96 percent of drug trafficking by sea, destroying suspicious boats on sight. Trump emphasized that this same strictness would now be applied on land, as land operations are easier than at sea. He sternly warned that he would not spare the smugglers who were ruining the youth and families of his country, and that this would be a major military expansion.

It's worth noting that tensions between the two countries have been steadily increasing for some time. According to Bloomberg and other media reports, since September, US forces have carried out more than 20 attacks on alleged Venezuelan drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea, killing at least 87 people. Furthermore, earlier this week, US Special Forces seized a massive oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. For weeks, Trump has been warning Nicolas Maduro's government that its "days are numbered" and that the US knows where the "bad guys" are hiding.

Although the White House has not yet issued an official press release on the President's statement, several reliable sources have confirmed Trump's plan. This entire exercise is being described as part of the US anti-drug campaign, currently centered on Venezuela, but Trump has indicated that the action will not be limited to that area. Venezuela, on the other hand, has denounced these US actions, particularly the maritime attacks and seizure of the tanker, as "piracy" and preparations for invasion. This latest announcement by Trump is sure to escalate the conflict between the two countries to a new and dangerous level.