President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. military sank a third alleged drug-running boat off the coast of Venezuela, correcting earlier public statements and asserting the action followed recent operations against trafficking at sea.
Speaking on the White House lawn, Trump said, "We knocked off, actually, three boats, not two, but you saw two," and added, "And the problem is there are very few boats out in the water. There's not a lot of boats out in the water. I can't imagine why." His comments came after the White House posted footage Monday that the administration said showed three alleged drug smugglers dying in a U.S. airstrike.
Trump's public remarks and the footage were reported by the New York Post. The president's disclosure follows an earlier maritime incident on Sept. 2 in which 11 people were killed when a boat was struck, a development that the administration has previously linked to counterdrug operations. The president did not provide additional operational details or identify the units involved during his lawn remarks.
The footage posted by the White House on Monday depicted the aftermath of an airstrike and the presence of people in or near the water; the administration described those shown as alleged drug smugglers. Trump has framed recent actions as part of a broader effort to disrupt drug shipments and trafficking routes in the region.
The announcement escalates public attention on the administration's use of military force in international counterdrug efforts and on U.S.-Venezuela maritime encounters. Officials have previously said they are targeting illicit trafficking that threatens U.S. borders, but the White House has provided limited on-the-record operational detail about specific strikes or engagements.
As of Tuesday evening, the Pentagon and other administration agencies had not issued a detailed public account specifying the locations, dates or legal authorities for the actions Trump referenced. The president's comments add to a string of recent disclosures by administration officials about U.S. counterdrug activity in the Caribbean and off South America, a focus that has intensified amid concerns over trafficking routes into the United States.
News organizations, lawmakers and international observers may seek further confirmation and operational detail from U.S. defense and border authorities in the days ahead to clarify the scope and legal basis of the strikes the president described.