Overview
- Trump said it would be acceptable to launch attacks in Mexico to curb drug trafficking and signaled he could target cocaine labs in Colombia, asserting such actions would save lives.
- The comments undercut Rubio’s statement last week that the United States would not conduct a military intervention in Mexico and would limit support to training, equipment and intelligence sharing.
- U.S. forces have repeatedly struck suspected smuggling boats since September, with the Pentagon confirming about 20 operations and at least 79 deaths as the United Nations urges restraint.
- The Pentagon has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group and strategic bombers near Venezuela, reflecting an expanded military posture tied to anti-drug missions.
- Reporting indicates the administration is advancing a move to designate Venezuela’s so‑called Cartel de Los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization and relying on a DOJ memo that frames an “armed conflict,” while Trump also said he is probably willing to speak with Nicolás Maduro.