Reports about US sending B-1 bombers near Venezuela 'false,' says Trump

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump rejected a report Thursday that said the US is sending B-1 bombers near Venezuela to increase American military pressure.

"Not accurate. No, it's false," Trump told reporters at the White House, when asked about the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, which said the US flew Air Force B-1 bombers near Venezuela.

"But we are not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons, drugs being one of them, but also, they've been sending their prisoners into our country for years under the Biden administration," Trump added.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth recently announced that his department is forming a joint task force operating in the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility to target drug trafficking organizations.

Since last month, the US has carried out at least nine strikes in the Caribbean Sea against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs in international waters off the coast of Venezuela.

Trump said his administration will brief Congress on operations against drug cartels related to Venezuela.

"Well, I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we're just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, okay? We're going to kill them," he added.

Rep. Gregory Meeks formally requested an urgent hearing Thursday to examine "unauthorized" military strikes by the Trump administration in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.