President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that U.S. forces conducted a strike inside Venezuela. This action raised legal concerns that it may have violated international law.
According to CNN, the Trump administration targeted two port facilities in Venezuela. White House sources told the network that they believe the sites were used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and load them onto boats for shipping.
The strikes were a significant escalation from the administration’s recent operations, which mainly focused on intercepting alleged drug trafficking vessels in international waters. CNN noted that the port facilities were attacked as part of a larger campaign against drug trafficking networks that the administration considers a national security threat.
Trump appeared to confirm the operation during a press conference on Monday. He told reporters that the administration “hit a dock” in Venezuela. This brief comment gained attention because it implied the strike took place on Venezuelan soil rather than at sea.
Legal experts quickly pointed out the potential consequences of this admission. Ryan Goodman, a professor at New York University School of Law, said the president’s acknowledgment amounted to a public admission of a CIA operation that could breach international law. On X, Goodman stated that the strike “does cross a red line of violating the UN Charter.” He added that previous actions against boats in open waters did not carry the same legal risks.
So the President did disclose a CIA drone strike inside Venezuela.
And this does cross a red line of violating the UN Charter — where the boat strikes on high seas had not.https://t.co/Na7BmRXWKF
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) December 30, 2025
The Trump administration has conducted over 20 strikes against alleged drug boats in international waters since taking office. They argue that these vessels pose a direct national security threat to the United States. These operations have been described as interdictions rather than attacks on another country, a difference that legal analysts believe becomes much harder to maintain when strikes happen inside a foreign nation.
The reported strikes on ports also come amid a broader pressure campaign against Venezuela. In recent months, the administration has seized oil from Venezuelan tankers. Some experts connect this to Trump’s larger goal of weakening the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and forcing him from power.
White House officials have stressed that the targeted port facilities were believed to be directly linked to drug trafficking. CNN reported that the administration sees Tren de Aragua as a transnational criminal organization that warrants strong countermeasures.
So far, the administration has not shared further details about the operation’s scope. This includes whether Venezuelan authorities were informed or if additional strikes are planned. However, the acknowledgment of the strike has already increased scrutiny on how far the administration is prepared to go in targeting criminal networks beyond U.S. borders and what legal justifications it is using.
As questions increase, attention is likely to remain on whether the strikes are a one-time action based on specific intelligence or an indication of a broader shift toward direct operations inside Venezuela. Such a move could have significant diplomatic and legal implications.s are a one-time action based on specific intelligence or an indication of a broader shift toward direct operations inside Venezuela. Such a move could have significant diplomatic and legal implications.ications.
