Trump warns Venezuelan jets could be ‘shot down’ if they threaten US forces
President Donald Trump warned Friday that Venezuelan military aircraft approaching US naval vessels could be “shot down” if they pose a danger.
Trump’s statement followed an incident Thursday when two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew near a US warship in the Caribbean Sea. The US Defense Department called the move “highly provocative” and cautioned Venezuela against interfering with US counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“We’ll let them know… if they fly in a dangerous position, they’re going to be in trouble,” Trump said during a press briefing in the Oval Office. He stressed that the US is committed to preventing drug trafficking from Venezuela and other regions.
When asked about potential regime change in Venezuela, Trump avoided a direct answer, commenting instead on the country’s recent “very strange” election. He also claimed Venezuelan prisons have allowed entry to members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization, some of whom are now in the US.
Following a prior executive order, a US naval task force—including seven warships and a submarine—was deployed to Caribbean waters near Venezuela on August 28 to strengthen counter-drug operations.
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