Trump Alleges US Military Action in Venezuela
Former US President Donald Trump has publicly claimed that American forces conducted a strike on a significant target within Venezuela last week. The assertion was made during a conversation with Republican donor John Catsimatidis on Friday, 28 December, following talks at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Trump stated, "We just knocked out... they have a big plant, or a big facility, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard." However, he provided no specific details regarding the location or nature of the target, and the White House has not issued any official comment to corroborate or elaborate on the claim.
Unconfirmed Strike and Military Buildup
If verified, this would represent the first known US land strike on Venezuelan territory since the Pentagon initiated a major buildup of forces in the region. The original stated mission was to interdict drug traffickers allegedly operating under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
That military posture has since evolved. It now functions as a de facto blockade aimed at disrupting Venezuela's oil exports, targeting a global shadow fleet of tankers operating outside the licensed framework granted to Chevron. An administration official later told CNN that Trump was referring to a drug facility in his comments.
Video footage emerged online on 24 December, purportedly showing an explosion in the industrial zone of the San Francisco municipality in Zulia state. Yet, neither the video nor the existence of the struck facility has been independently verified. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident described by Trump.
A Growing 'Quarantine' and Broader Implications
The US military deployment in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico is the most expansive maritime enforcement action of Trump's presidency to date. While administration officials avoid the term 'blockade', they acknowledge a force of roughly 15,000 personnel, including a carrier strike group, F-35 fighter jets, and Coast Guard cutters, positioned to enforce sanctions.
Trump has warned for weeks of readiness to strike targets inside Venezuela, a move that would typically require congressional authorisation. Experts have criticised the administration's actions, framing its claims on Venezuelan oil as part of a pattern of 'resource imperialism'. The situation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing pressure campaign against the Maduro government.
