Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania publicly praised President Donald Trump‘s U.S. military strike on a boat the administration says was tied to Venezuelan-linked “cartel” Tren de Aragua.
Newsweek reached out Fetterman’s office via email for additional comment.
Why It Matters
The praise by Fetterman of the kinetic U.S. military action in the southern Caribbean comes amid heightened U.S.-Venezuela tensions after the administration said it struck a vessel linked to the Tren de Aragua gang and expanded naval deployments near Venezuelan waters.
The recent moves have prompted warnings from Venezuelan officials and raised questions on the scope and legal basis of U.S. operations in the region.
What To Know
The State Department has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and U.S. officials have moved warships and personnel into the southern Caribbean in recent weeks as part of counternarcotics operations.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned that increased U.S. military activity could produce what he called a “republic in arms” and ordered troop deployments along coasts and borders in response to U.S. actions.
In a post to X on Wednesday, Fetterman said, “Fully support confronting the scourge of cartel drug trafficking to our nation.”
The Pennsylvania lawmaker posted the reaction to a screengrab of a Fox News headline saying, “Rubio promises more strikes on Venezuela cartels: ‘We’re not going to sit back anymore.’”
Fetterman hasn’t shied away from siding with Republicans on key administration policies like immigration, the southern border and the war between Hamas and Israel.
Fully support confronting the scourge of cartel drug trafficking to our nation. pic.twitter.com/wd0QC7eRTL
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 3, 2025
What People Are Saying
Trump on Truth Social Tuesday: “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.
“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted to X on Tuesday: “As @potus just announced moments ago, today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Carribean [sic] against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.”
Ryan Berg, director of the Americas program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, per the Associated Press, noting that the U.S. is “quite literally deadly serious” about targeting drug traffickers.
“I certainly hope that the U.S. government has the intelligence and we are not shooting first and asking questions later,” Berg added.
What Happens Next
Diplomatic responses from Venezuela and regional governments on the strike are immediately unknown.
U.S. maritime operations in the region and public messaging about counternarcotics objectives are expected to continue from the Trump administration.
The post Democrat Praises Trump’s Move Against Alleged Venezuelan Cartel appeared first on Newsweek.
