FAFO! U.S. Hits Venezuelan Drug Vessel in Trump’s First Major Strike

Summary

---

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: FAFO! U.S. Hits Venezuelan Drug Vessel in Trump’s First Major Strike

Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson (Premiere Networks)
Key Guests/Voices: Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Jesse Waters, Jim Hansen

---

Episode Overview

This episode delivers an in-depth analysis of President Donald Trump’s first major military action in his current term: the U.S. military’s precision strike on a Venezuelan drug smuggling vessel. Host Ben Ferguson covers the details of the operation, Trump's public statements, the reaction from international leaders, and broader implications for U.S. anti-drug trafficking policy. The focus is on security, U.S. resolve, and escalating action against narco-terrorism, emphasizing the President's direct leadership style.

---

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Strike on the Venezuelan Drug Vessel

[03:24 - 06:17]

• President Trump ordered a targeted military strike against a drug-laden panga boat in international waters.
• All 11 "Trenda Agra" (sic – likely “Tren de Aragua”) narco-terrorists aboard were killed.
• The operation is presented as a warning: traffickers bringing drugs to the U.S. "will face swift and lethal consequences."
• Ben underscores that the traffickers "had no idea it was even happening," contrasting the Trump administration’s aggressiveness with alleged laxity under Biden.
• Trump’s quote on Truth Social:

  “Earlier this morning, on my orders, US Military forces conducted a kinetic strike against a positively identified trend narco terrorist in the Southcom area of responsibility… transporting illegal narcotics heading to the United States.”

Key Moment

• [05:20] Donald Trump:

  “When you come out and when you leave the room, you'll see that we just... shot out a, a boat, a drug carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat... There's more where that came from... A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out. And you'll get to see that after this meeting is over.”

---

2. Message to Traffickers and the Public

[06:17 - 08:44]

• Footage of the strike, posted by the President, underscores a "global message":

  “If you're bringing drugs in the United States of America to kill our citizens, we're going to hunt you down and we're going to kill you.”

• No U.S. forces were harmed.
• U.S. intelligence (Pentagon & CIA) actively monitoring other narco targets; more military actions may follow.
• Discussion of international responses:
  • Mexico's President calls for respect for sovereignty, denies threat.
  • Venezuela’s leader is angry (against backdrop of a $50 million U.S. bounty for his arrest).

Notable Quote

• [06:17] Ben Ferguson:

  “Please let this serve as a notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America, beware.”

---

3. Administration Perspective—Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

[08:12 - 08:44]

• Marco Rubio emphasizes robust offensive U.S. posture:

  “The President has been very clear that he's going to use the full power of America and the full might of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels... Those days are over.”

---

4. Analysis & Broader Consequences—Jesse Waters & Jim Hansen

[09:03 - 11:24]

• Discussion on Fox News (Jesse Waters interviewing Jim Hansen, World Straight President):
  • U.S. could soon strike cartel targets inside Venezuela; “nothing’s off the table.”
  • Message to both cartels and state sponsors: U.S. military might will not be challenged.
  • Hansen on potential escalation:

    “...you're not going to put up with them making billions of dollars doing human trafficking and killing our own citizens without a very robust response.”

  • Waters questions popular support and risk of cartel retaliation.
    • Hansen asserts overwhelming public backing:

      “The American people are sick of seeing these drug traffickers and these cartels destroying our country with no consequences.”

    • Asymmetric warfare risk is acknowledged, but U.S. retaliation would be severe:

      “Payback can be a medevac. ...You go ahead and hit us here and you want to see some holding holy hell unleashed…”

---

5. Why Not More Allied Support? Trump on Mexico’s Role

[11:24 - 12:06]

• Trump referenced his conversations with Mexico’s president:

  “Mexico wanted help with the cartels. We would be honored to go in and do it. ...The cartels are trying to destroy, destroy our country. They're evil. Well, she's so afraid of the cartel, she can't walk... she is so afraid... she can't even think straight.”

• Ben explains that U.S. unilateral action is necessary due to lack of regional support.

---

6. Closing Remarks & Outlook

[12:06 - End]

• Ben summarizes that this strike is “not the end, but probably the beginning of President Trump's war on drugs,” now “with the American military behind it.”

---

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Donald Trump [05:20]:

  “A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out.”

• Ben Ferguson [06:17]:

  “...[T]his is the President putting his words into action, making it clear that the President is not going to let this stand.”

• Marco Rubio [08:12]:

  “The President is going to be on offense... Those days are over.”

• Jim Hansen [09:09]:

  “This is a message to the cartels and to state leaders who coddle them... that's no longer a free ride to make money bringing death into the United States.”

• Jim Hansen [11:02]:

  “Payback can be a medevac. ...I don't think they do it more than once.”

• Donald Trump [11:42]:

  “...she's so afraid of the cartel, she can't walk... she can't even think straight.”

---

Tone & Style

• The episode maintains Ben Ferguson’s direct, assertive, and pro-Trump style, interspersed with quotes from the President and hardline commentary from officials and analysts.
• Frequent emphasis on U.S. strength, decisive action, and frustration with past (Biden) and current international inaction.
• Moments of bravado and warning are prevalent: “beware,” “there's more where that came from,” “those days are over.”

---

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:24 — Ben breaks down the operation’s details and significance.
• 05:20 — Trump’s Oval Office remarks about the strike.
• 06:17 — Ben analyzes the purpose behind publicizing the strike.
• 08:12 — Marco Rubio describes the Administration’s strategy.
• 09:03 — Jesse Waters and Jim Hansen discuss escalation and U.S. strategy.
• 11:42 — Trump’s remarks on Mexico’s president and the challenge of allied cooperation.
• 12:06 — Final commentary on broader implications and future actions.

---

This episode provides an unfiltered look at the Trump administration’s tough stance on drug trafficking, delivering both details and rhetoric designed to signal a new era of enforcement using direct military power. The show’s narrative is clear: military action is the new face of the U.S. “war on drugs,” with uncompromising resolve at the highest level.

Transcript

[Donald Trump]

This is an Iheart podcast. How did you find out over the.

[Ben Ferguson]

Weekend that you were dead?

[Donald Trump]

You know, I have heard it's sort of crazy, but last week I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well. Like this is going very well. And then I didn't do any for two days. And they said there must be something wrong with him. Biden wouldn't do him for months. You wouldn't see him. And nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him. And we know he wasn't in the greatest of shape.

[Ben Ferguson]

Listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Good Wednesday morning. It is so nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And we've got one major story for you. Donald Trump has ordered the US military to strike a drug boat, killing 11 trend terrorists. It is a warning to traffickers around the world that if you're bringing drugs to America, we're going to come after you. And the American military are the ones that are going to carry out my orders.

[Kirk Elliott (advertiser)]

But before I get to that, I want to talk to you about my friends at Kirk Elliott Precious Metals. Two days ago, I got my new order of silver. Now I'm investing in silver right now because the pricing on it is amazing and the upside, well, it's real. I actually have a 100 ounce silver bar. It is actually really cool. It's really heavy because it's 100 ounces. But I also know that I bought it at the right price and I wasn't paying massive upcharges on, quote, rare special coins. And then when you go to sell them, you take away all of your earning potential. Why do they do it this way at Kurt Elliott? Because they have transparent pricing up front. It's very simple. You pay 8% when you buy. And here's what matters to you the most. Nothing. When you sell, there are no hidden fees ever.

[Ben Ferguson]

With Kurt Elliott Precious Metals.

[Kirk Elliott (advertiser)]

This is the reason why I recommend them. It's not just about investing. It's about making sure you get more money. And that is exactly why Kurt Elliott helps people all the time. Whether it's gold or silver, you can hold it, be a good steward of it. You can pass it on to future generations and you can build wealth with it. It's real bullion, never gimmicks, just investment grade gold and silver. No overpriced coins, no flashy markups. And it's a company that I love because they are a faith driven company. There's no pressure, just honest care. They treat every family offering honest answers up front to help you make wise, informed decisions. Now, if you're seeking a partner when it comes to gold and silver with an eternity mindset, visit ke-pm.com ben that's K-E-P M.com ben you can also call them 720605 3900. That's 720-605-3900. So let's faithfully steward what God has given so you can experience real peace now and for generations to come. K e p m.com Ben it's the.

[Ben Ferguson]

47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

Story number one in major news, Donald.

Trump has ordered US military strike on a drug boat, killing at least 11 Trenda Agra terrorists. In a warning to drug traffickers, they did not know that the attack was happening until they were already basically dead. And it happened on direct orders from President Donald Trump. The US Military forces launched a precision strike, we've now learned, on the drug laden vessel in international waters, killing all 11 narco terrorists en route to the United States. Trump declared the operation a clear warning to traffickers that those who smuggle poison towards America's shores will face swift and lethal consequences. Now one of the things you need to understand about this attack is the terrorists. The narco terrorists had no idea it was even happening. They were not swerving or driving at a high rate of speed trying to get away from what they thought was a threat to them. They were doing normal business the way they've been able to do it for years under the Biden administration. They had no clue that their life was about to come to an end. Now, yes, the President, United States of America had warned countless times while running for office and since he's been elected that if you are a narco terrorist that we will come after you and hunt you down. This seems to be not the end but the beginning of these actions. The president putting it this way on true social saying, quote, earlier this morning, on my orders, US Military forces conducted a kinetic strike against a positively identified trend narco terrorist in the Southcom area of responsibility. The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in international waters transporting illegal narcotics heading to the United States. The President was also asked about this in the Oval Office and here's part of what he had to say.

[Donald Trump]

When you come out and when you leave the room, you'll see that we just over the last few minutes literally shot out a, a boat, a drug carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat. And you'll be seeing that and you'll Be reading about that. It just happened moments ago. And our great general, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has been so incredible, including what took place in Iran, knocking out potential nuclear power for a long time to come, I think within a month they would have had it. We didn't do what we did, but he gave us a little bit of a briefing and you'll see. And there's more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country coming in for a long time. And we just. These came out of Venezuela and coming out very heavily from Venezuela. A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out. And you'll get to see that after this, after this meeting is over.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, the President also included the video for the world to see. It showed that aerial view of the panga boat. At the 22nd mark in the video, the boat explodes, bursts into flames and then the boat quickly sank. Now why did the President put it out there? He wanted the world to be on notice that if you're bringing drugs in the United States of America to kill our citizens, we're going to hunt you down and we're going to kill you. The Commander in Chief added this. The strike resulted in the 11 terrorists killed in action. No US forces were harmed in the strike. Please let this serve as a notice to any. Anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America, beware. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We also know that the Pentagon has made it clear that they are in fact looking at, in essence, plans, attack plans, and the CIA is involved in monitoring narco terrorists, where they are, where their labs are. And there's a very good chance the President could be ordering the strike on their locations very soon as well. What's even more surprising is the response, whether it's Mexico's president when she came out and said there isn't a problem and said that it's not a threat to America and that America must also respect the sovereignty and stay out of Mexico. There's a very clear line that's being drawn in the sand there. We also know what the leader in Venezuela is saying. He's very angry at the US. Why? Because there is a 50 million dollar bounty on his head for arrest because he is also a narco terrorist. So this is the President putting his words into action, making it clear that the President is not going to let this stand. Here's also what Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, had to say. As he says, the cartels, well, they're in For a very rude awakening.

[Marco Rubio]

The President is going to be on offense against drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States. It destabilizes is not just the country, but the entire Caribbean basin. These particular drugs were probably headed to Trinidad or some other country in the Caribbean, at which point they just contribute to the instability these countries are facing. So the President has been very clear that he's going to use the full power of America and the full might of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they're operating from and no matter how long they've been able to act with impunity. Those days are over.

[Ben Ferguson]

Marco Rubio is absolutely right. The world should be paying attention to what the President did. In fact, that's exactly what Jim Hansen, World Straight President, had to say to Jesse Waters on his show after the Venezuelan cocaine boat strike. Listen carefully, cartel members. This is what you need to understand.

[Jesse Waters]

Did you hear the Secretary of State not take strikes inside of Venezuela off the table?

[Donald Trump]

I don't think anything's off the table. And I think anybody who thought that when President Trump designated the drug cartel cartels as terrorists, he was kidding, can take a look at that oil slick in the Caribbean Sea and see what they found out. This is a message to the cartels and to state leaders who coddle them and allow them to operate that that's no longer a free ride to make money bringing death into the United States.

[Jesse Waters]

How robust is this operation going to be?

[Donald Trump]

I think as robust as they need to. I think, you know, it's fun for Maduro and other people to say, oh, we've got Marines, we've got IEDs, we've got have anything that can stand up to the military might of the United States. And I think this is a good start. There will probably be some more object lessons, maybe a drone strike on a lab, something like that. And they're pretty quickly going to find out that we're not going to put up with them making billions of dollars doing human trafficking and killing our own citizens without a very robust response.

[Ben Ferguson]

Right.

[Jesse Waters]

And so you have drugs pouring into the country, people are dying. You have Chevron getting around with, and you have a guy down there that's flirting with Putin, flirting with Xi in China. Do you think this kind of operation, if it goes forward, has the support of the American people?

[Donald Trump]

Oh, 100%. I mean, the American people are sick of seeing these drug traffickers and these cartels destroying our country with no consequences. And if any of these people down in South America think they're going to make friends in our hemisphere with the Russians and the Chinese or anybody else. They're going to find out that President Trump is back in charge. America's on top. That's not going to play.

[Jesse Waters]

Is there a risk of counterstrikes inside us proper from the cartels?

[Donald Trump]

There is. You know, and the idea, I mean, asymmetric warfare is the Achilles heel of the United States. We are one giant soft target here inside the United States, however, payback can be a medevac. If they try something like that, you know, you go ahead and hit us here and you want to see some holding holy hell unleashed wherever you're operating. I don't think they do it more than once.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, you may also be asking yourself the question, why would leaders of countries like Mexico not work with the president to get rid of the cartels? President Trump on Air Force one, back on 55 of this year, had this to say about the president of Mexico. Listen carefully.

[Donald Trump]

Mexico wanted help with the cartels. We would be honored to go in and do it. I told her that I would be honored to go in and do it. The cartels are trying to destroy, destroy our country. They're evil. Well, she's so afraid of the cartel, she can't walk. So, you know, that's the reason. And I think she's a lovely woman, but the president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can't even think straight.

[Ben Ferguson]

And that's exactly why the President, United States of America is stepping up now. So, yes, hitting this boat was important for our safety and security. It also was important to send a message, the cartel members that if you're running drugs into America, you are a target of the United States of America. And based on what we're watching right now, this is not the end, but probably the beginning of President Trump's war on drugs. Except his war is going to have American military behind it.

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is the story of the 1. As head of maintenance at a concert hall, he knows the show must always go on. That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the H vac is humming, and his facility shines with Grainger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces. Plus 247 customer support his venue never misses a beat. Call quickgranger. Com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. This is an I Heart podcast.