Trump sparks war fears with cryptic five-word threat on Venezuela cartels

During a visit to the U.S. Open in New York, President Donald Trump faced questions from reporters about whether his administration is considering further military action against Venezuelan drug cartels. In response, Trump gave a cryptic five-word reply: "You're going to find out!" He made the statement while preparing to board a helicopter for the sporting event.

This comes as the Trump administration explores strategies to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating in Venezuela. The move follows a recent U.S. operation targeting a narcotics-transporting vessel, intended to send a strong warning to Latin American criminal organizations.

Trump also had a tense exchange with a reporter over a provocative AI-generated meme he shared regarding Chicago. The journalist asked if he was "going to war with Chicago," referencing the meme in which Trump suggested the Department of Defense might be rebranded as the "Department of War." The president reacted sharply, calling the reporter "second-rate" and dismissing the question as "fake news."

He clarified his position, emphasizing that his focus is on reducing violent crime in U.S. cities rather than engaging in actual warfare: "We're not going to war, we're going to clean up our cities. We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war; that's common sense."

In addition to domestic issues, Trump briefly commented on Russia when asked about further sanctions, responding succinctly: "Yeah, I am," signaling readiness to escalate measures if needed.

Despite the ongoing trade tensions with Switzerland, including a 39% tariff on Swiss goods, Trump accepted an invitation to watch the U.S. Open from the exclusive Rolex box. He will witness the men's championship match between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, 22, and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, 24. Organizers reportedly hope to avoid televised displays of audience disapproval.

Throughout much of his second term, Trump has focused on attending high-profile sporting events rather than conducting large-scale rallies or policy announcements, a shift from his earlier campaign style.