WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 10, 2026 — President Donald J. Trump today announced a strategic escalation in the U.S. campaign against international drug trafficking, signaling a shift from maritime strikes to “very hard” land‑based operations targeting narcotics smugglers and cartel networks.
In an interview released Tuesday with Fox Business host Larry Kudlow, the president said recent U.S. military actions against suspected drug‑smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have significantly disrupted the flow of illicit narcotics — including fentanyl — intended for distribution in the United States. Citing administration figures, Trump said the strategy has reduced such drug flows by approximately one‑third.
“By knocking out those boats, we’ve dropped drugs — fentanyl — about 33 percent,” the president said, adding that the next phase would focus on land routes and production networks that enable traffickers to adapt to maritime pressure. “If you hit them on land, they go to the boats. Now we’re going to hit them on land — and we’re going to hit them very hard on land.”
The announcement comes amid continuing U.S. military operations under Operation Southern Spear, a campaign of lethal strikes against vessels the Pentagon says were engaged in narcotics trafficking. In the latest action, U.S. Southern Command reported a strike in the eastern Pacific earlier this week that left two alleged traffickers dead and one survivor, part of a series of at least 38 boat attacks since late 2025.
The expanded focus on land comes against a backdrop of intensifying U.S. pressure on drug cartels and designated “narco‑terrorist” groups across the Western Hemisphere, including recent controversial actions in Venezuela and discussions about potential operations targeting cartels operating out of Mexico.
Details on the timing, locations, and legal framework for the planned land strikes were not provided in the interview. The president’s remarks follow months of maritime interdictions that have drawn both support and criticism from international leaders, lawmakers, and legal experts.
