AMNA NAWAZ: President Trump announced# late today that the United States has## sunk a boat after it left Venezuela carrying# drugs.

It is the first known military strike## in the region since President Trump ordered an# increased military presence in the Caribbean.

Nick Schifrin's following# all this and he joins me now.

So, Nick, tell us, what do# we know about this strike?

NICK SCHIFRIN: President Trump said that# the U.S. Navy operated against that boat## that you said that was operated# by Tren de Aragua.

That has been## designated by the administration as# a foreign terrorist organization.

And the president posted this video# on TRUTH Social this afternoon,## saying 11 members of the group were# sailing toward the United States carrying## illegal drugs.

And attached to the video, he# wrote -- quote -- "Please let this serve as## notice to anyone even thinking about bringing# drugs into the United States of America.## Beware.

Thank you for your attention to# this matter," multiple exclamation points.

Now, as you said, Amna, President Trump this# summer ordered a large Navy and Marine deployment## to the area.

You see some of the ships there.# A Navy official says it includes destroyers,## cruisers, as well as smaller ships# capable of launching Marines onto shore.

In total, it's thousands of service members,# including submarines.

The administration describes## it as a drug mission and uses the language of# war, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio did today.

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. Secretary of State: We# destroyed a drug boat that left Venezuela## operated by a designated narco-terrorist# organization, which is what these are.

And he's been clear that the days of acting# with impunity and having an engine shot down## or a couple drugs grabbed off a boat, a take# -- those days are over.

Now it is, we are## going to wage combat against drug cartels that are# flooding America's streets and killing Americans.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Now, that said, Amna,## regional experts tell me the drug# trade is highly decentralized,## and fighting it is not usually a military effort.# It is traditionally seen as law enforcement.

So there are economic tools.

There are# diplomatic political tools and tools## used by the Drug Enforcement Agency.

So# that is what fundamentally has changed,## that it is the U.S. Navy, not the Coast# Guard and the DEA, taking these steps.

The nature of the military deployment,# though, means that some experts believe## this is a message or a threat to# Nicolas Maduro, the head of Venezuela,## whom Trump accused of controlling# multiple gangs, including Tren de Aragua,## and whom Trump tried to depose during the# first term by backing an opposition figure.

Reporters asked Rubio that# specific question today,## whether the U.S. would operate# against Maduro.

He said, look,## this is a counterdrug operation, but he# wouldn't discuss any future operations.

AMNA NAWAZ: And has there been any response# from the Maduro government in Venezuela?

NICK SCHIFRIN: There has not been today to this# strike, at least not in a couple hours.

But,## just yesterday, Nicolas Maduro gave a rare# press conference.

He described the military## deployment by the Trump administration as proof# the administration was seeking regime change.

And he tried to paint Rubio,# not Trump, as the aggressor.

NICOLAS MADURO, Venezuelan President (through# translator): Mr. President Donald Trump,## you must be careful, because Marco Rubio wants# to stain your hands with blood, South American,## Caribbean, Venezuelan blood.

They want to# drag you into a bloodbath to tarnish the## Trump name forever with a massacre against the# Venezuelan people, with a terrible war across## South America and the Caribbean.

This# would be a full-scale continental war.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Maduro trying to paint# this clearly, Amna, as an inevitable U.S.## military effort against Venezuela, which the Trump# administration says is not on the cards right now.

AMNA NAWAZ: Nick Schifrin, thank you, as always.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Thank you.