B-1 bombers flew within about 50 miles from Venezuela on Thursday as the United States continues to strike drug boats departing from the South American country.
Asked about the flights during a panel discussion at the White House on Thursday, Trump denied that two B-1 Lancers had flown close to Venezuela.
“Not accurate,” said Trump when asked about a report of the flights published in The Wall Street Journal. “No, it’s false, but we’re not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons. Drugs being one of them.”
The flights have been tracked on flight radars. The two bombers took off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas on Thursday and flew near Venezuela, but remained over international waters, according to WSJ.
The flights followed a show of force last week when B-52 bombers and F-35B jet fighters operated by the U.S. Air Force and Marines flew near an island off the coast of Venezuela.
The U.S. military has blown up at least seven boats in international waters in the Caribbean said to be carrying deadly drugs to the United States, and another two boats in the Pacific. President Donald Trump has accused the leadership of Venezuela and Colombia of facilitating the transport of drugs in the United States.
Trump said on Thursday that drugs coming to the United States by water have plummeted because of military action, and he suggested that strikes could soon be conducted against drug cartels and narco-terrorists on land, as well.
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“Now, they’re coming in by land, and even the land is concerned because I told them that’s going to be next,” the president said. “We may go to the Congress and tell them about it, but I can’t imagine they would have any problem with it. I think, in fact, while we’re here, I think it’s a good idea, Pete, you go to Congress, you tell them about it. What are they going to do? Say, ‘gee, we don’t want to stop drugs pouring in?’ They’re killing 300,000 people per year.”
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, on whom the Trump administration has placed a $50 million bounty, claimed on Wednesday that thousands of Russian-made anti-air missiles are placed strategically around the country to handle any threats from the air.
“Any military force in the world knows the power of the Igla-S and Venezuela has no less than 5,000” of the missiles, Maduro said, according to CNN.
Last week, Trump said that Maduro has offered “everything” to the United States.
“He’s offered everything,” said Trump. “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.”
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