川普總統12月29日、親自證實美軍已摧毀委境內、一處裝載毒品的碼頭；此舉標誌華府自對馬杜洛政權施壓以來，首度針對該國陸上目標打擊，行動層級已顯著升溫。針對此行動細節，川普說現場巨大爆炸，美軍不僅襲擊裝滿毒品船隻，更直接摧毀了該處裝卸區域。與此同時，美國海軍福特號航母、正在加勒比海附近執行任務。據CNN報導實際攻擊可能是由中情局CIA的無人機來執行任務，時間點大約落在耶誕節前後，當時川普便曾向福特號官兵暗示，將會處理「陸地上的問題」。這波行動顯示美方不再僅限，海上攔截、而是將打擊範圍延伸至內陸，意圖切斷馬杜洛政權、毒品經濟命脈對峙隨之加劇。President Donald Trump said on Dec. 29 that the U.S. had hit an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, marking the first known time Washington has carried out land operations in Venezuela since a pressure campaign began against President Nicolas Maduro's government. "There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," Trump said.
12月30日川普總統，向記者說中國對台實彈軍演，在類似海域進行已經長達20年，而且過去的規模還更加誇張呢、所以根本不用擔心。川普說：我和習近平主席關係很好，他沒跟我提過軍演這件事，我當然看到了，但他沒跟我說過，而且我不認為他會這麼做，完全沒有什麼讓我擔心的。Trump told reporters at a press conference on Dec. 29: I have a great relationship with President Xi [Jinping], and he hasn't told me anything about [the drills]. I certainly have seen it. No, nothing worries me. They've been doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area, he said of the drills, which have ramped up in recent years and now include simulating a blockade of the island.
