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National Security Experts Warn of Retaliation Against U.S. Citizens Amid Venezuela Tensions

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Business Honor | Venezuela Tensions Spark Security Alerts

Business Honor
05 December, 2025

As U.S. escalates strikes, experts caution against possible cartel retaliation on American soil.

As tensions between the United States and Venezuela rise, national security experts warn of possible violent reprisal against U.S. citizens. This comes after President Donald Trump declared to increase military strikes against the cartels of Venezuela, especially those operating across the Caribbean. The Trump administration has been conducting strikes on cartel-controlled drug boats, but is considering more direct interventions within Venezuela itself.

Victoria Coates, the former senior national security adviser to President Trump, warned of possible cartel retaliation against American citizens. She said that was a particularly grave risk considering how Venezuela-backed criminal groups are known to exist inside the United States. Coates cited the 2023 shooting of National Guard soldiers in Washington D.C. as one incident that has shown how foreign-backed groups could ratchet up violence on U.S. soil.

The administration has repeatedly charged that the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been tied to illegal cartel operations. In November 2023, the State Department designated the Cartel de los Soles-which allegedly operates under Maduro's command-as a foreign terrorist organization. These cartels are accused of supplying narcotics, including fentanyl and cocaine, to U.S. markets, contributing to a rise in drug-related fatalities.

The tough stance taken by the Trump administration against these Venezuelan drug cartels is a response to growing threats. Experts, such as Coates, note that as the Venezuelan regime increasingly becomes viewed as a national security concern, vigilance must be ramped up and strategic law enforcement action taken in order to deter retaliatory acts and protect U.S. citizens abroad. Moving forward, U.S. authorities are engaged in a delicate balancing act of assessing potential threats and mobilizing security measures to minimize risks posed by foreign-backed criminal entities.