The Trump administration has reportedly deployed three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to the coast of Venezuela.
The three ships — the USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham, and the USS Sampson — were expected to arrive “soon,” a top administration official told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
The three ships were reportedly deployed to assist in President Donald Trump’s effort to take down South America’s notorious cartels and stop their flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the U.S.
Venezuela has not taken kindly to the move:
#COMUNICADO | La República Bolivariana de Venezuela observa con total claridad la desesperación de la administración estadounidense, que recurre a amenazas y difamaciones contra nuestro país. Que Washington acuse a Venezuela de narcotráfico revela su falta de credibilidad y el… pic.twitter.com/yNPeuGe4FQ
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) August 19, 2025
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela observes with total clarity the desperation of the United States administration, which resorts to threats and defamation against our country,” Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro’s administration said in a statement.
“Washington’s accusation that Venezuela is involved in drug trafficking reveals their lack of credibility and the failure of its policies in the region,” his administration added.
Maduro likewise announced plans of his own to mobilize 4.5 million Venezuelan militia members, according to the Miami Herald.
“This week I’m launching a special plan to ensure coverage by more than 4.5 million prepared, activated, and armed militia members across the national territory,” he said during a televised event on Monday.
He added that the deployment was needed to counter America’s “extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish threats.”
“The empire has gone mad and has renewed its threats to Venezuela’s peace and tranquility,” he said.
Maduro says he’s deploying 4.5 million militia members in response to the Trump administration deploying THREE US Navy guided missile destroyers and an attack submarine off the coast of Venezuela to combat the cartels. I don’t think this will end well for Maduro. pic.twitter.com/0S7EIBbI1T
— Robert Sepehr (@robertsepehr) August 20, 2025
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has also lashed out at the Trump administration.
“While Washington threatens, Venezuela steadily advances in peace and sovereignty, demonstrating that true effectiveness against crime is achieved by respecting the independence of its peoples,” he said in a statement. “Every aggressive statement confirms the inability of imperialism to subdue a free and sovereign people.”
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked by a reporter on Tuesday whether the Navy’s presence near Venezuela could eventually translate to military intervention.
“President Trump has been very clear and consistent, he’s prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,” she replied. “The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela. It is a narco terror cartel.”
“It is the view of this administration [that Maduro] is not a legitimate president. He is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into the country,” she added.
Leavitt: The president is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government—it is a Nacro terror cartel pic.twitter.com/R0FXAKXPMs
— BILALSTECH (@BILALS_TECH) August 19, 2025
Like the Biden administration, the Trump administration doesn’t recognize Maduro’s 2024 election victory.
All this comes only days after the Trump State Department and Trump Justice Department announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Maduro.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice, and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier this month in a video announcing the reward.
AG Pam Bondi: Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”
$50 MILLION reward offered for info leading to his arrest!
Justice is coming. pic.twitter.com/aX5Nj7XlgJ
— Victoria Byrne (@Thevictoria76) August 8, 2025
Trump has been after him since 2020.
“Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine,” according to CNN.
“At the time, the US offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the US offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks,” CNN notes.
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Author: Vivek Saxena
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