In a recent press briefing at the White House, President Trump issued a stern warning to U.
S. forces operating near Venezuela, setting new rules of engagement.
The President's remarks were in response to an incident involving Venezuelan aircrafts and U.S. naval vessels in the Caribbean. As reported by RedState, a pair of antiquated F-16s, maintained with black market and cannibalized parts due to U.S. sanctions, flown by veteran pilots, buzzed a U.S. Navy ship.
This provocative act was carried out by what Venezuela refers to as its air force.
The Maduro regime released footage allegedly from one of the planes involved in the incident. The video shows Venezuelan jets flying over a U.S. warship. This comes as ten U.S. F-35 fighter jets are being deployed to Puerto Rico for counter-narcotics missions, a part of President Trump's commitment to combat drug trafficking.
President Trump, in his remarks, justified the aggressive interdiction of drug runners by comparing the deaths due to drug overdoses to those in war. "We lost 600,000 in the uh pretty much between Gettysburg and all of that. The Civil War, we lost what? 600,000. So, we're losing half of that every year to drugs. Were not going to do it. We're not going to allow it to happen," he stated.
When asked about the potential consequences if Venezuelan jets were to fly over U.S. naval vessels again, the President responded, "Well, I would say they're going to be in trouble. Well let them know about that. We heard that happen, but it wasn't really over, not like they described. But I would say, General, if they do that, you have a choice of doing anything you want, okay? If they fly in a dangerous position, I would say that you can uh you or your captains can make the decision as to what they want to do, alright?"
He further added that if the Venezuelan forces put the U.S. in a dangerous position, they would be shot down.
This stern warning from President Trump could potentially mark a significant shift in the rules of engagement for all U.S. Navy ships and Air Force aircraft.
In response to the escalating tensions, Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro called for negotiations. He refuted the U.S. allegations about his country, stating that the differences between the nations do not justify a "military conflict". "Venezuela has always been willing to talk, to engage in dialogue, but we demand respect," he added.
However, Maduro's call for respect seems to fall on deaf ears as his regime is held in contempt by most of the world. The escalating tensions and the new rules of engagement set by President Trump underscore the seriousness of the situation and the U.S.'s commitment to maintaining security in the region.
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