Maduro framed the situation as a struggle against what he described as external threats, urging Venezuelans to mobilize against any foreign aggression.
The address came as tensions have risen following months of U.S. maritime strikes that Washington says targeted vessels used by drug traffickers.
Reuters has reported that more than 80 people have been killed since September, and a separate land operations. "In recent weeks, you’ve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers, of which there are many. Of course, there aren’t too many coming in by sea anymore. Have you probably noticed that?" Trump said.
He added that maritime operations have already stopped an estimated 85% of drugs arriving by sea. "You probably noticed that now people aren’t wanting to be delivering by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon."
Trump said traffickers are responsible for "hundreds of thousands of people a year" dying from the "poisons" brought into the United States. "We warn them, stop sending poison to our country," he said.
Earlier this month, Trump said he had not ruled out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela as part of the administration’s crackdown on criminal networks tied to senior figures in Caracas. "No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything," he said.
He also left room for talks. "We may be having some conversations with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk," Trump told reporters over the weekend.
Since early September, U.S. strikes across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have destroyed dozens of vessels. U.S. officials say many were linked to Venezuelan and Colombian criminal groups.