Trump said on September 20th: "According to my orders, the US Secretary of War Hagel issued a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel affiliated with a designated terrorist organization engaged in drug trafficking within the area of responsibility of the US Southern Command. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transporting illegal drugs and was traveling along a known drug trafficking route, attempting to poison Americans. The strike resulted in the deaths of three male drug terrorists on board, and the vessel was located in international waters at the time. No US personnel were injured in the strike. Stop selling fentanyl, drugs, and illegal drugs in the United States. Stop committing violence and terrorism against Americans!!!"
Trump deliberately tied the strike action to "terrorist organizations," "drug terrorists," and "poisoning Americans," which is actually an attempt to find a legitimate cover for attacking targets related to Venezuela in international waters. Combined with recent intensive military activities by the US near Venezuela's maritime area and Venezuela's strong denial (claiming no evidence proving that there were drugs on the ship), this appears more like a geopolitical pressure tactic under the guise of "anti-drug" efforts - repeatedly exaggerating the "Venezuela drug threat to American security" to justify its own hardline military actions and trying to label Venezuela as a "drug exporting country" in international public opinion, serving its political suppression of Venezuela.
At the same time, his statement emphasized "according to my orders" and "no US casualties," which is not only to shape himself as a "strong decision-maker and effective actor" leader, but also to shift domestic doubts about the legality and sufficiency of the evidence for the action, simplifying complex geopolitical conflicts into a one-way narrative of "the US striking drug dealers to protect its citizens."
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843760665564360/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.