President Donald Trump said the United States “destroyed” a “large facility” in Venezuela last week, in what appears to be a reference to an attack on a drug trafficking site in the country.
Trump, in a radio interview with WABC’s “Cats and Cosby” on Friday, was discussing his administration’s efforts to stop drug trafficking from the region, including attacks on suspected drug ships, when he made the comment.
“And we just took it out, I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago we took it out, so we hit them really hard.” Trump said in the interview.
Donald Trump listens during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Mar-a-Lago club on December 28, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The New York Times reported that US officials said Trump was referring to a drug facility in Venezuela and that it was eliminated, but did not provide further details.
If Trump’s comments are accurate, then it would mark the first known ground attack in Venezuela since the Trump administration began its campaign against the country.
ABC News has reached out to the Pentagon and White House for comment; The Pentagon referred ABC News to the White House for comment. The CIA declined to comment on the matter.
Trump has hinted at ground action in Venezuela for weeks, confirming in October that he authorized the CIA to operate inside the South American nation.
The United States has also strengthened its military presence in the region, with 15,000 US troops and several warships ready in the Caribbean. Earlier this month, Trump ordered what he called a “complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, targeting the government’s main source of revenue.
To further increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump said last week that it would be “smart” for Maduro to resign.
“He can do whatever he wants, okay, whatever he wants to do. If he wants to do something, if he plays hard, it will be the last time he can play hard,” Trump said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
