US President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle drug trafficking operations linked to Venezuela after US forces struck at least three suspected smuggling vessels in recent weeks, leaving more than a dozen dead.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, Trump warned traffickers that the United States “will completely eliminate” those responsible, framing the attacks as part of a broader campaign against networks allegedly led by Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.

"To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence," Trump stated. He also claimed, without elaborating, that “each boat that we sink carries drugs that would kill more than 25,000 Americans.” 

The massive Navy buildup in the Caribbean, comprising eight warships and a submarine, has fuelled speculation in Caracas that Washington may be setting the stage for regime change. 

The US president brushed off a September 6 letter from Maduro inviting dialogue, with White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stating that the Venezuelan missive contained "a lot of lies" and the administration’s position remained unchanged. She added the president “is willing to use all means necessary to curb illegal drug trafficking emanating from the Venezuelan regime.”

The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of being one of the world’s largest drug traffickers, being the head of the "Cartel de los Soles", and alleging collaboration with Mexican cartels to supply the United States with cocaine laced with fentanyl. Last month, Washington doubled to $50mn a bounty for information leading to his arrest.

Trump’s lengthy UN address also highlighted his second-term foreign policy achievements and doubled down on his longstanding criticism of multilateral institutions and climate goals. He denounced the UN as ineffective, recalling his withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, and ongoing reviews of participation in intergovernmental organisations. 

Against a backdrop of ongoing crises in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, Trump portrayed the strikes against Venezuela as part of a broader effort to safeguard US interests and confront global threats directly.