Assessing the Impact of U.S. Strikes on Venezuelan Boats
Recent military strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela have resulted in nearly 30 fatalities. President Donald Trump claims that each strike has saved approximately 25,000 lives.
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The Trump administration has not provided evidence regarding the type or quantity of drugs allegedly on the five targeted boats. This lack of information makes it impossible to determine the potential number of lethal drug doses that could have been destroyed.
- From May 2024 to April 2025, 73,000 people died in the U.S. due to overdoses.
- If Trump's statement were accurate, the five boat strikes would have saved nearly double the number of lives lost to overdoses in a year.
According to drug experts, even with knowledge of the type and quantity of drugs on the boats, the amount of drugs stopped from entering the U.S. does not indicate how many lives were saved.
Author's summary: Trump's claim of saving 25,000 lives per strike lacks evidence.