President Donald Trump asserted Wednesday that the U.S. is now “looking at land” in Venezuela as part of its efforts to crack down on drug cartels, while also appearing to acknowledge that he authorized the CIA to carry out strikes inside the South American country.
Trump made the comments at the White House, one day after the U.S. struck another boat that he asserted was carrying drugs, bringing the total death toll to 27 across the half-dozen strikes so far.
“We are certainly looking at land now because we’ve got the sea under control. We’ve had a couple of days now where there isn’t a boat to be found,” Trump told reporters inside the Oval Office.
Trump was also asked about a New York Times report earlier Wednesday that he had authorized the CIA to carry out operations inside Venezuela. The Times reported Trump’s order would allow the CIA to conduct lethal operations inside Venezuela.
“I authorized for two reasons, really. Number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border,” Trump said before adding, “A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”
The ultimate goal is to drive authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro out of power, according to the Times. Trump demurred, however.
“Wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer? But I think Venezuela is feeling heat. … We’re not going to let our country be ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst … we’re not going to take them,” Trump said.
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