5:31Donald Trump listens during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago club on December 28, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
President Donald Trump stated that the United States "knocked out" a "major facility" in Venezuela last week, seemingly referring to an assault on a drug trafficking site within the country.
During a radio interview on WABC's "Cats and Cosby" on Friday, Trump was elaborating on his administration’s initiatives to combat drug trafficking from the area, including strikes against purported drug boats, when he made this assertion.
"And we just knocked out, I don’t know if you read or you saw, they have a large plant or a significant facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago we took that out, so we struck them very hard," Trump remarked in the interview.
Donald Trump listens during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago club on December 28, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The New York Times reported that American officials indicated that Trump was referencing a drug facility in Venezuela which was destroyed, but provided no additional specifics.
If Trump’s statements are correct, it would represent the first confirmed attack on land in Venezuela since the commencement of the Trump administration’s campaign against the nation.
ABC News has contacted the Pentagon and the White House for comments; the Pentagon directed ABC News to the White House for a response. The CIA opted not to comment on the issue.
Trump has hinted at potential land operations in Venezuela for several weeks, confirming in October that he had authorized the CIA to conduct operations within the South American country.
The U.S. has also increased its military presence in the area, with 15,000 American troops and multiple warships on standby in the Caribbean. Earlier this month, Trump mandated what he referred to as a "complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and exiting Venezuela, targeting the government’s primary source of income.
In an effort to further intensify pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump stated last week that it would be "wise" for Maduro to resign.
"He can do whatever he wants, it’s fine, whatever he wants to do. If he chooses to act tough, it will be the last time he is ever able to act tough," Trump commented.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com