Trump threatens Venezuelan jets if they come too close to US navy vessels

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump issued a warning on Friday, stating that Venezuelan fighter jets that move too close to American naval vessels would be “shot down.”

“I would say they’re going to be in trouble. We'll let them know about that … if they fly in a dangerous position,” Trump said during remarks in the Oval Office. His statement followed an incident in which two Venezuelan F-16 aircraft reportedly approached a US warship in the Caribbean.

According to reports, the US military described the maneuver as “highly provocative” and cautioned Venezuela against interfering with American missions targeting drug trafficking and terrorism.

Trump stressed Washington’s determination to stop narcotics shipments linked to Venezuela and other regions. “We don’t want drugs coming in from Venezuela or anybody else, or any place else, so we’ll be tough on that,” he stated.

When asked whether Washington was seeking regime change in Venezuela, Trump responded, “Well, we’re not talking about that, but we are talking about the fact that you had an election, which was a very strange election. To put it mildly, I’m being very nice when I say that.”

He also claimed Venezuelan authorities had released inmates into the United States, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group, who he alleged had crossed into the country.

Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive directive to expand military operations against Latin American drug cartels. Following that decision, a naval task force consisting of seven warships and a submarine was deployed near Venezuelan waters on August 28.

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