Trump Orders Expanded Briefings on Anti-Narcotics Operations Amid Escalating Tensions in Caribbean and Pacific

President Donald Trump has directed his national security and defense teams to expand classified briefings for Congress on U.S. anti-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Pacific, according to Axios. The move follows increased pressure from lawmakers across both parties demanding transparency after a surge in deadly maritime interdictions and heightened U.S. military activity near Venezuela.

Axios reported that U.S. forces have sunk at least 15 vessels and killed over 60 suspected smugglers since spring. Trump reportedly urged aides, “I keep getting calls about this from congressmen,” and instructed staff to ensure all lawmakers are informed of ongoing efforts. The crackdown has become a central focus of his second-term security agenda, with the president accusing cartels and rogue regimes of turning the Caribbean into a “floating highway of poison.”

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels have intensified patrols near Venezuelan waters, where intelligence officials allege traffickers operate with support from Nicolas Maduro’s security forces. Recent operations include the destruction of fast boats and fishing craft suspected of transporting cocaine or fentanyl ingredients. Pentagon officials describe the efforts as aimed at “disrupting and dismantling” criminal networks, though they note cartels are growing more armed and confrontational.

Caribbean nations have urged caution, with leaders from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic warning against actions that could destabilize fragile maritime economies. Meanwhile, the White House has explored limited land-based strikes on cartel infrastructure in Venezuela—a move that would mark a significant escalation and risk direct conflict with Maduro’s forces.

Trump has privately vowed to eliminate “sanctuary zones” for traffickers across the Western Hemisphere. A senior administration official told Axios, “America is not going to sit back while these killers use our backyard as a launchpad.” The president’s stance underscores a broader crackdown on drug networks amid rising regional tensions.