Former US President Donald Trump has asserted that American military forces conducted a significant strike on a "big facility" in Venezuela, though he provided scant details and the White House has not officially commented.
Vague Claims from Mar-a-Lago
Speaking during a conversation with Republican donor and New York supermarket owner John Catsimatidis on Friday 28 December, Trump made the surprising allegation. The remarks followed talks at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
"We just knocked out – I don’t know if you read or you saw – they have a big plant, or a big facility, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard," Trump stated, without specifying the location or nature of the target.
First Land Strike and a Shifting Military Posture
If verified, this would represent the first land strike on Venezuelan territory since the Pentagon initiated a major buildup of US forces in the region. The administration's stated initial goal was to interdict drug traffickers it claims operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
However, analysts note the mission's focus has broadened. The military presence, described by the White House as a maritime "quarantine," has effectively morphed into a blockade disrupting Venezuela's oil exports. This action targets the global shadow fleet of oil tankers, with Chevron remaining the sole licensed exporter of Venezuelan oil.
Unverified Footage and Expert Warnings
Video footage surfaced online on 24 December purporting to show an explosion in the industrial zone of the San Francisco municipality in Zulia state. The authenticity of this video and the existence of the struck facility have not been independently confirmed.
An administration official later told CNN the president was referring to a drug facility in his comments. Meanwhile, security experts have characterised Trump's aggressive stance and claims on Venezuelan oil as part of a broader pattern of 'resource imperialism'.
The current military posture is the most expansive maritime enforcement action of Trump's presidency. While officials avoid the term "blockade," they acknowledge approximately 15,000 personnel are deployed across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. This force includes a carrier strike group, F-35 fighter jets, and Coast Guard cutters tasked with enforcing existing sanctions.
Trump has warned for weeks of readiness to strike targets inside Venezuela, a tactical move that would typically require congressional authorisation. The latest claim, lacking in official detail, raises further questions about the scope and legality of US military engagement in the region.
