(DCNF)—Former U.S. Army Special Forces and WorldStrat President Jim Hanson warned drug cartels Tuesday on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” that a “holy hell” would be “unleashed” if they tried to retaliate against America for cracking down on their activities.
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the American military sank a vessel belonging to Venezuelan drug cartel Tren de Aragua, killing 11 cartel members on board. Discussing the strike against the vessel, Fox’s Jesse Watters asked Hanson if he believes there’s a risk of “counterstrikes inside the U.S.” from cartel members.
“There is. Asymmetric warfare is the Achilles heel of the United States. We are one giant soft target here inside the United States. However, payback can be a medevac if they try something like that,” Hanson said. “You know, you go ahead and hit us here, and you want to see some holy hell unleashed wherever you’re operating. I don’t think they’d do it more than once.”
The strike, conducted by the U.S. Southern Command in international waters, took place near three Aegis-class missile boats stationed alongside other assets to disrupt the Latin American cartel’s drug trade routes.
In a post about the hit against the organization, Trump wrote that the drug cartel has been “operating under the control of [Venezuela President] Nicolas Maduro,” who is “responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.”
Watters asked Hanson if he believes Americans will be willing to support Trump for pushing back against the cartels, to which Hanson replied, “100%.”
“The American people are sick of seeing these drug traffickers and these cartels destroying our country with no consequences,” Hanson said. “And if any of these people down in South America think they’re going to make friends in our hemisphere with the Russians and the Chinese or anybody else, they’re going to find out that President Trump is back in charge. America’s on top. That’s not going to play.”
Since returning to office, Trump has vowed to fulfill his promise to crack down against cartels and illegal immigrants who came into the country under the Biden administration.
On Trump’s first day back in office in January, the president signed a slew of executive orders, including designating certain international cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. With the president aiming to crack down on cartels and their crimes in the United States, Trump reportedly began ordering U.S. troops to use military force against drug cartels in early August.
The reports of allowing military forces against cartels came a day after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Justice and State Department are offering a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuela’s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro. Tensions between Maduro and Trump have steadily increased, as the Venezuelan dictator made a series of cryptic statements after the U.S. moved naval vessels toward the coast of Venezuela, with Maduro saying Aug. 21 that they will “defend our seas, our skies and our lands,” according to Reuters.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.