From CBS News: For the second time in two days, Venezuela has flown military aircraft in the vicinity of the USS Jason Dunham in international waters near South America, multiple Defense Department officials confirmed to CBS News Friday, describing the action as turning into a “game of chicken.”
The aircraft, which one Defense Department official said were F-16 fighter jets, flew over the Dunham sometime overnight Thursday. It was unknown if the aircraft was armed.
The Dunham, an Aegis guided-missile destroyer, did not engage, the officials said. The aircraft was within weapons-range for both the aircraft and the ship, the officials added.
This comes after CBS News reported Thursday that two F-16 fighter jets also flew over the Dunham earlier that day. The Pentagon later confirmed that incident, describing it in a statement as a “highly provocative move” that “was designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations.”
The Trump administration has deployed multiple U.S. warships to the region in recent weeks, in an effort to target criminal organizations and narco-terrorism.
While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, President Donald Trump was asked about the Venezuelan fighter jets buzzing over the American ships, and said “they’re going to be in trouble.”
He turned to Gen. Dan Caine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and told him that “if they do that again, you or your captains can make a decision as to what you want to do.”
“If they put us in a dangerous position, they should be shot down,” Trump added.
“They will be in trouble…!” https://t.co/HdFNfP8UMT
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— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) September 5, 2025
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