Administration Labels Drug Traffickers as Unlawful Combatants to Justify Military Strikes.
Washington, D.C., In a controversial move, President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress that the United States is now engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels, describing them as “unlawful combatants.”
The memo, obtained by U.S. media, comes in the wake of several military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean that reportedly resulted in multiple deaths. Trump’s administration argues that cartel operations now amount to organized attacks on U.S. citizens and security, and must be treated as warlike actions.
Legal and Political Backlash
The decision has sparked immediate scrutiny in legal and political circles. Critics argue Trump lacks congressional authorization to declare such a conflict and that the strikes may violate both U.S. law and international norms regarding use of force. Some lawmakers warn this sets a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.
Meanwhile, the memo does not precisely name which cartels are targeted, though the administration has previously pointed to Venezuelan groups and others in Latin America.