Pointing Out Drug Manufacturing in Venezuela and Colombia:
"Anyone Selling Drugs to the U.S. Will Be a Target"
Hints at Deploying National Guard to New Orleans:
"Requested by the Governor"
President Donald Trump has announced that he will nominate the next Federal Reserve (Fed) chair in early 2026.
On December 2 (local time), President Trump stated during a cabinet meeting at the White House, "I will announce someone as the new Fed chair, probably in early 2026." Previously, on November 30, President Trump mentioned to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Florida to Washington, D.C., that he already had a candidate for the next Fed chair in mind.
Notably, President Trump drew attention by introducing Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), as a potential candidate for the position. Immediately after the cabinet meeting, at an event at the White House announcing a large donation from Michael Dell, founder and CEO of the American computer manufacturer Dell Technologies, and his wife, President Trump introduced the attendees and referred to Chairman Hassett as "perhaps a potential Fed chair." He added, "I don't know if I should say that, but 'potential.' What I can say is that he is a respected individual."
Chairman Hassett, who had previously given ambiguous answers in media interviews regarding his candidacy for the next Fed chair, stated in a Fox News interview on November 30 that "if President Trump nominates me, I would be happy to serve." President Trump has openly criticized current Fed Chair Jerome Powell for his consistently passive stance on interest rate cuts, and is currently in the process of selecting Powell's successor, with Powell's term set to end in May 2026.
Additionally, President Trump stated during the cabinet meeting that the military operation conducted in waters near Venezuela to block drug trafficking could be expanded to Venezuelan territory or other countries. He noted that, thanks to the U.S. administration's successive sinking of drug transport vessels, the number of deaths from drug abuse in the United States has decreased. "It has decreased because we are conducting airstrikes. And we will start carrying out such airstrikes on land as well," he said. He added, "It's much easier to do it on land. We know the routes the traffickers use. We know everything about them."
Since September, the Trump administration has significantly increased military presence by deploying aircraft carrier strike groups to waters near Venezuela to block drug trafficking into the United States, and has attacked vessels suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific. Subsequently, President Trump stated that military operations could be expanded to land, raising speculation that U.S. forces might directly attack drug cartels operating within Venezuelan territory.
When asked about the meaning of ground airstrikes, President Trump said, "If they (drug traffickers) are entering through a particular country or any country, or if we believe they are building fentanyl or cocaine manufacturing facilities." He continued, "I heard that Colombia produces cocaine. They have cocaine manufacturing plants and sell cocaine to us. Anyone who does that and sells drugs to us will be a target for attack." This suggests the possibility that U.S. forces could directly strike drug cartel operatives or drug manufacturing facilities operating within Venezuela or Colombia in the future.
Furthermore, President Trump announced plans to deploy the National Guard to New Orleans, Louisiana, within the next few weeks. He said, "It was requested by (Louisiana Governor Jeff) Landry. The excellent governor asked for help for New Orleans." President Trump is also seeking to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon, but these efforts are being opposed by the Democratic-controlled local governments. Louisiana Governor Landry is a Republican, while the mayor of New Orleans is a Democrat.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
