WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the U.S. military has destroyed what he described as a "very large drug-carrying submarine" in the Caribbean, killing two of the four "narcoterrorists" on board. The strike, which occurred on Thursday, is the latest in a series of deadly U.S. operations against suspected drug traffickers in the region.
In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said the vessel was navigating a "well known narcotrafficking transit route" toward the United States.
The Strike and Trump's Justification
"It was my great honor to destroy [the] submarine," Trump said, adding that U.S. intelligence confirmed it was "loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics."
The president provided a stark justification for the lethal strike, stating, "At least 25,000 Americans would die if I allowed this submarine to come ashore."
According to the announcement, two of the four people on board were killed in the attack, and no U.S. forces were harmed. The two survivors, identified as citizens of Ecuador and Colombia, were taken into custody and are being returned to their home countries for detention and prosecution.
President Trump also shared a video clip of the attack, which appears to show a low-profile vessel being struck by several explosions. "Under my watch, the United States of America will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea," Trump concluded.
Escalating "War on Drugs" in the Caribbean
This incident is the latest of at least six recent U.S. strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean, many in international waters near Venezuela. With this attack, the death toll from these U.S. military actions has risen to at least 29 people.
The Trump administration has justified the strikes by stating it is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels, relying on the same legal authority used to declare the post-9/11 war on terror.
The aggressive U.S. naval presence has escalated tensions with Venezuela. Last week, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the formation of a new joint task force operating under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to more effectively target these drug trafficking organizations.
For more cases on failed smuggling attempts, check out our video here:
