The target, he said, was Héberto “Niño” Guerrero, the leader of the Venezuelan drug trafficking gang Tren de Aragua, who was killed in the operation carried out by United States Southern Command.
Trump announced the strike on his Truth Social platform, stating it was conducted at his direction earlier this week. He did not provide details on how Guerrero’s death was confirmed or whether any other individuals were killed in the explosion. The president said the action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed in a separate social media post that the strike hit a Tren de Aragua compound inside Venezuela. Guerrero, 42, was one of the most wanted figures in the hemisphere, facing at least two federal indictments in the United States. A federal grand jury in Manhattan had charged him last year on drug, gun and terrorism charges, and he was also named in an earlier indictment.
The killing of Guerrero marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s approach to transnational criminal organizations. During his campaign, Trump frequently cited Tren de Aragua as a symbol of what he called the Biden administration’s failed border policies, accusing his predecessor of allowing gang members to enter the United States through lax enforcement. Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the gang in July 2024 and offered a $12 million reward for the arrest of three of its leaders, including Guerrero.
A Campaign Promise Fulfilled
Trump framed the strike as a direct fulfillment of his campaign pledges. I delivered on my promise to wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive, he wrote. The operation comes as the president has faced criticism from lawmakers and human rights groups over his administration’s use of military force against suspected drug smuggling operations, including dozens of deadly attacks on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The Tren de Aragua gang originated in the Tocorón Penitentiary Center in Venezuela and has expanded its operations across Latin America and into the United States. Guerrero had been a fugitive for years, evading capture even as the U.S. ramped up pressure on the organization. The strike represents one of the most direct uses of American military power against a foreign gang leader on foreign soil in recent memory.
White House officials declined to elaborate on the intelligence that led to Guerrero’s location or the specific munitions used in the strike. The administration has not yet indicated whether it anticipates retaliatory action from the gang or from the Venezuelan government, which has maintained a fraught relationship with Washington despite Trump’s description of cooperation on this operation.
