Venezuela uses American-built F-16 fighter jets to threaten US Navy ship sent by Trump to tackle drug gangs

In a ‘show of strength’ two Venezuelan armed F-16 fighter jets, a combat aircraft built by America’s General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin), flew directly over US Navy ship USS Jason Dunham deployed in the Caribbean region. The incident marks a sharp escalation in an already fraught standoff between the US and Venezuelan governments following a deadly US military strike this week that killed 11 suspected members of Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang.

The flyover incident

According to Pentagon statements and first-hand reporting by CBS News, the Venezuelan jets passed over the guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham while the ship was on anti-narcotics operations in international waters. The US Navy vessel did not retaliate or take overt defensive action in response to the flyover. The US Department of Defense publicly condemned the flyover as “highly provocative” and alleged it was a deliberate effort to interfere with US counter-narcotics and anti-terrorist missions.

A Defense Department statement, shared on X and quoted widely, directly warned the Maduro regime: "The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the US military.”

US strike on Venezuelan drug boat

Just two days prior to the air encounter, the US military struck a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean, killing 11 people whom the Trump administration accused of belonging to the criminal-run Tren de Aragua gang. President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the strike, claiming the vessel was transporting large quantities of narcotics to the United States.

With the Trump administration characterizing Venezuela's government under Nicolás Maduro as a “criminal cartel” allied with drug traffickers, the US has doubled its reward for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, while Maduro's government condemned the US naval build-up as a “criminal and bloody threat,” responding with deployments of drones and warships to patrol Venezuela's coasts.

Legal analysts have questioned the legality of the US strike, given the ambiguity around whether the boat posed an imminent threat and the extrajudicial nature of the attack. The Trump administration insists that such action is justified under counter-terrorism prerogatives.

The Venezuelan government strongly denies all US allegations linking it with drug trafficking organizations and accuses Washington of trying to provoke a wider conflict. Venezuelan President Maduro has mobilized both military and civilian groups in anticipation of further US operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the US military action legal?

There is significant debate over the legality of the US strike. Some note that lethal military force against a vessel not posing an imminent threat and outside of active hostilities is unusual.

What is Tren de Aragua?

Tren de Aragua is one of Venezuela's most powerful criminal organizations, involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violent crime. The Trump administration designated the group as a "terrorist organization".