Trump’s War On Drugs Is Anything But

“Every boat kills 25,000 on average − some people say more," Trump told U.S. military generals in September. "You see these boats, they’re stacked up with bags of white powder that’s mostly fentanyl and other drugs, too.”

No, that’s not entirely true.

That said, let’s start with acknowledging that Venezuela is indeed a major transit point for drugs…just not fentanyl, as this administration has claimed. For decades, Venezuela has been a significant transit hub, used by Columbian drug cartels as a launching pad from which to move their product – cocaine – on to Mexico and the U.S over land and sometimes air. Typically, those Venezuelan “go-fast” boats, fishing boats (known as "peñeros"), and semi-submersible vessels used by the cartels paying poor fishermen to use their knowledge of the local waters. It should be noted that these fishermen, more often than not trying to supplement their income and feed their families, are considered very low-level and completely expendable by the cartels employing them. This has been going on for many years, with the knowledge of and even some facilitation by corrupt government figures, including current president Nicolás Maduro.

Can “go-fast” boats transport drugs to U.S. shores?

Yes…and no. While it must be acknowledged that some drug-smuggling boats do manage to evade the Coast Guard (who are tasked with the job of interdicting these boats), the boats that come out of Venezuela are not typically bound for the U.S. Rather, they are most often headed to Trinidad and Tobago (which are only a short distance from the Venezuelan coast), the Lesser Antilles (where traffickers then “island hop” their shipments to Hispaniola [Dominican Republic and Haiti]). Hispaniola and the various European territories in the area (Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire) are then used as major direct overseas transport links to Europe. Over the ten years, Europe’s drug use has increased significantly, particularly with respect to cocaine, making Europe a key destination for a majority of the drugs coming through Venezuela. Drug shipments headed to the U.S. are typically sent overland, taking advantage of the rough geography and cover provided by mountain ranges and jungle areas…as well as Mexico’s wide border with the U.S. and weak state control and corruption of the countries in between Venezuela and Mexico (Guatemala, Honduras, etc.).

If the Coast Guard’s job is to stop the boats, why is the military in the area bombing them?

Good question.

Maritime drug smuggling has historically been handled as a law enforcement issue by the Coast Guard. In fiscal year 2025 (September 1, 2024, to October 7, 2025), the Coast Guard interdicted 14 vessels off the coast of Venezuela. Of those 14 vessels, three were found to have no illicit contraband onboard. There is no word on how many pounds were confiscated, but overall statistics of that operation note that the drugs confiscated were cocaine and marijuana…no fentanyl.

Operation Southern Spear was officially launched by the U.S. on November 13, 2025…but the first strike on alleged drug-smuggling boats began in September after a military build-up began in the Caribbean in August. The first boat destroyed as part of the operation was hit by MQ-9 Reaper drone, obliterating the vessel and killing 11 people. Since that initial strike, a total of 23 vessels have been destroyed and 87 people have been killed. No drugs have been confiscated from any of these strikes and no evidence exists to directly tie either the vessels or those killed to the drug cartels.

A few things need to be noted at this point:

• For fiscal year 2025, no individuals interdicted by the Coast Guard off the coast of Venezuela were killed. Zero. Nada. Overall, in FY2025, the Coast Guard seized 524,400 pounds (lb) of drugs, comprised primarily of marijuana (14,400 lb) and a record setting weight of cocaine (510,000 lb)…all without killing anyone. Amazing.

• Neither the U.S. military nor the current administration has provided any evidence that the boats destroyed to date during Operation Southern Spear were carrying any drugs.

• While it is not necessarily unconstitutional for an administration to use the military for law enforcement purposes in the United States, it is heavily restricted by a strong constitutional tradition and a specific federal law known as the Posse Comitatus Act. The use of the military is permitted only in specific, extraordinary circumstances authorized by the Constitution or an Act of Congress. The Trump Administration has claimed that the U.S. is fighting a “war” against “narco-terrorists,” which they are using as an excuse to target boats coming out of Venezuela. No Act of Congress has been instigated or implemented to legally justify this so-called “war.”

• Fentanyl – which the Trump administration has cited is its primary target during Operation Southern Spear – is exported almost exclusively to the U.S. from Mexico and China, not Venezuela…and typically not by boat.

  
  

So, why is the U.S. engaged in military strikes off the coast of Venezuela?

Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves, primarily comprised of heavy crude in the Orinoco Belt, making it a pivotal global energy player despite vastly reduced output and U.S. sanctions. That fact plays heavily into the latest incident associated with Operation Southern Spear: The seizing of the oil tanker Skipper off the coast on December 10, 2025. The Trump administration has indicated that the tanker – and all of its cargo – will be “confiscated.” The tanker had previously been sanctioned under a different name, and was falsely flying the flag of Guyana in a clear attempt to slip past sanctions…but this is a law enforcement issue, just like the alleged drug-smuggling boats, and should have been handled primarily by the U.S. Coast Guard. Seizing the tanker serves to feed the Trump administration’s goal of applying pressure to Venezuelan President Maduro…and could contribute to the Trump administration’s stated possible action of putting “boots on the ground,” effectively invading Venezuela…while still not asking for Congressional approval to do so.

Note that no drugs were confiscated during this operation involving the tanker. Just oil.

Is anyone getting Iraq War vibes from this?

While it can be stated that oil was not the sole purpose for the Iraq War (2003 – 2011), it was a significant strategic reason that benefitted the U.S. By removing Saddam Hussein from power, the U.S. stabilized global markets by freeing up Iraq's vast reserves, securing long-term supply, and creating lucrative business opportunities (like Halliburton contracts) for Western companies.

Was a war crime committed during Operation Southern Spear?

The first strike on an alleged drug boat occurred on September 2, 2025. This particular strike was actually comprised of two missile strikes, one occurring some time after the initial strike…killing two survivors of the initial strike who were observed via satellite imaging to be clinging to wreckage. The administration has claimed that the two individuals were in possession of a radio and were actively attempting to contact other drug boats in the area for rescue to potentially continue their smuggling run after retrieving what was left of their cargo from the wreckage.

This is a blatant lie.

On December 4, 2025, Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who ordered the second strike and was coincidently promoted to Admiral in command of USSOCOM in October after, admitted there was no radio, giving credence to the claim that the second strike was in fact a war crime, as it is a war crime to kill shipwrecked people. But can it be a war crime if no Act of Congress has declared the U.S. is at war with Venezuela?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (USMJ), Article 92, states that all military service members of all ranks must obey all lawful orders, and mandates the refusal of illegal orders. “Illegal orders” are defined as being any order that directs one to commit a crime, violate fundamental rights, or break U.S. or international law.

That second strike was indeed either a war crime…or murder.

Keep in mind that no evidence has been retrieved from any of the missile strikes that have destroyed 23 vessels and killed 83 people. Neither has any proof of wrongdoing been presented to justify any strike against any individual vessel. No evidence, no due process. Just arbitrary execution.

What happens next?

This writer will go on record to say that Operation Southern Spear is actually a prelude to an invasion of Venezuela to effect regime change, installing a puppet government under U.S. control and influence, and to take control of the largest oil reserves in the world. As this operation plays out, we will most likely see an escalation that puts American soldiers in harm’s way…all to capture and control those same oil reserves.

At this time, there are no formal investigations underway regarding the Trump administration’s use of the military or missile strikes against alleged drug boats in Venezuela. But the administration's aggressive stance, including military threats, covert ops, and the seizing of oil tankers, has sparked legal debates and criticism over potential overreach and adherence to U.S. law (like the War Powers Resolution). There does, however, appear to be much bi-partisan discussion as to the legality of that specific strike seemingly approved by Secretary of Defense Hegseth (this writer refuses to use the term “war,” which this administration prefers…) and carried out by Admiral Bradley that killed those two survivors on September 2.

Whether or not Admiral Bradley, Secretary Hegseth, or Trump himself face a war crimes tribunal remains to be seen, but it is quite clear that nobody in this administration wants the American public to see the unedited video of that particular missile strike. It is common knowledge that this administration never hesitates to release documents or video that might serve to show it acting in the best of all possible lights. So why is this specific strike being kept from Americans?

The principle of Occum’s Razor tells us that the simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions, which adequately explains the facts, is usually the best or most likely one. Put simply, this administration knows a crime has been committed and wishes to keep it concealed as it prepares to invade a sovereign nation to take control of its government and oil reserves. If the unedited video exonerates Bradley, Hegseth, and this administration, release it.

Oh, and while you’re at it, release the complete and unredacted (except for the victim’s names…) Epstein Files as well…

Written by Sean Thompson