President Donald Trump has officially declared that the United States is in a armed conflict with drug cartels that the White House has now designated as terrorist organizations, according to a confidential notice sent to Congress this week. The move provides the administration with a legal framework for military operations, including strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea conducted last month.
The Trump administration states that the United States “is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations.” The document was sent to congressional committees overseeing national security and defense.
“The President directed the Department of War to conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict,” the notice reads, referring to the Pentagon by Trump’s recently adopted title. “The United States has now reached a critical point where we must use force in self-defense and defense of others against the ongoing attacks by these designated terrorist organizations.”
The disclosure comes after Pentagon forces carried out three military strikes on boats that the Trump administration claimed were transporting drugs to the U.S. All 17 people aboard the vessels were killed, but the administration has not publicly provided evidence that the boats were carrying narcotics. Despite the lack of proof, officials maintain that the strikes were lawful under the president’s new classification of the cartels.
The announcement represents a significant escalation in the U.S. government’s approach to drug cartels, shifting from law enforcement to a wartime posture. Experts note that labeling domestic or foreign criminal organizations as terrorist entities could raise legal and political questions, particularly regarding congressional authorization for the use of military force.
Critics have expressed concern that this approach could expand military involvement in areas traditionally handled by law enforcement, potentially blurring the lines between national security and criminal justice. Supporters argue that violent cartels operating across borders pose a real threat to U.S. citizens and merit a more forceful response.
