U.S. strike on Venezuelan group sends warning to cartels, Trump says

President Trump said the U.S. military strike that killed 11 members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua off the country’s coast was a warning to drug cartels, vowing that such groups “won’t be doing it again.”

Asked about the strike during an event at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said: “Obviously, they won’t be doing it again. And I think a lot of other people won’t be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they’re going to say, ‘Let’s not do this.’”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Fox & Friends that Trump is prepared to go further than his predecessors. “President Trump is willing to go on offense in ways that others have not seen,” Hegseth said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in during a visit to Mexico, saying drug cartels are “in for a rude awakening.”

Rubio said he discussed security, border issues, and trade matters with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as part of ongoing U.S.-Mexico cooperation. He added that his trip will continue with a stop in Ecuador, also focused on regional security.

The comments follow Tuesday’s announcement by Trump that U.S. forces destroyed a boat carrying drugs in international waters, killing 11 alleged Tren de Aragua members.

The group, which Washington recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization, has been accused of mass murder, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking while operating under the control of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.