US struck another boat illegally carrying drugs off Venezuela coast, Trump says | US military
On Saturday evening, US forces struck another ship illegally carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela, Donald Trump told thousands of sailors on Sunday at a ceremony celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Navy. He added that the United States would also begin to consider the drug trafficking that takes place on earth.
Trump comments during a speech at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, next to the Harry S Truman aircraft carrier. He was not immediately clear if he was referring to a strike announced Friday by the defense secretary Pete Hegseth.
During his speech, Trump said that the navy had argued the mission “to blow up the terrorists of the Cartel of Hell of Water. There are no more boats in the water. You can no longer find them. “
The navy was also used to join an armed conflict with drug cartels, which led to four strikes in the Caribbean on what the administration says being fast boats engaged in drug trafficking.
Trump added that if drug smugglers did not arrive by sea, “we will have to start looking at the ground because they will have to go on the ground. And let me tell you that it will not work well for them either.”
The United Nations condemned the American strikes – which the United States defends as members of “narco -terrorist” of Tren of Aragua, appointed a foreign terrorist organization, in international waters – as extrajudicial executions.
“International law does not allow governments to simply assassinate the alleged drug traffickers,” said the UN last month. “Criminal activities must be disrupted, surveyed and pursued in accordance with the rule of law, including by international cooperation.”
Navy celebrations are involved in the midst of a closure of the federal government which has left military staff working without salary. Trump accused the Democrats of allowing the closure and trying to “destroy this wonderful celebration of the anniversary of the American navy”.
“I believe:” The show must continue! ” “,” Trump posted on Friday evening on his social media site. “It will be the greatest celebration in the history of the navy. Thousands of our courageous active service services and families of soldiers will be present, and I look forward to this special day with everyone. ”
Trump is committed to rebuilding the navy’s shipbuilding capacity after warnings that the service risks losing its status of dominant naval power in the world.
The American fleet has been in its smallest size since the Second World War, while the Chinese shipyards subsidized by the State exceeded the productivity of American shipyards.
Navy secretary, John Phelan, who was confirmed in March, identified “urgency” as a missing element in naval shipbuilding and ordered an accelerated production calendar for the Columbia and Virginia submarine programs.
The Navy celebrations come after months of troubles to the Pentagon while Hegseth reorganizes the main leaders of the army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Coast Guard.
In a controversial speech for military leaders last week, Hegseth said the end of “awake” culture and announced new guidelines that include “non -sexist” or “male” standards for physical form.
Hegseth said: “The only mission to the newly restored war department is as follows: war fighting, preparation of war and preparation to win, tirelessly and without compromise in this pursuit not because we want war, nobody here wants war, but it is because we love peace.”
During the meeting, Trump proposed to use American cities as a training ground for the armed forces and he spoke of needing military power to fight against what he called “the invasion of the interior”.
