Trump Administration Declares ‘Armed Conflict’ Against Drug Cartels

The administration of President Donald Trump has formally declared that the United States is engaged in “armed conflict” with drug cartels. This assertion, communicated in a formal notice to Congress following recent lethal strikes on vessels near Venezuela, provides the administration’s legal justification for military actions taken in international waters.

The administration’s notice was sent to Congress by the Pentagon following at least three recent strikes that have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people in international waters. Dependable NG reports that the letter justifies these actions by stating that the President has determined that these cartels are “non-state armed groups,” designated them as “terrorist organizations,” and found that their activities constitute an “armed attack against the United States.”

The Trump administration has already deployed a significant military presence to the Caribbean, including several military vessels, as part of a stated operation to combat drug smugglers. This build-up comes amid mounting tensions with Venezuela’s leftist President Nicolas Maduro. The Pentagon’s notice further describes suspected smugglers targeted in these operations as “unlawful combatants.”

Legal Justification and White House Stance

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the strikes, telling AFP, “As we have said many times, the president acted in line with the law of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring deadly poison to our shores.” She maintained that the President is delivering on his promise to combat cartels and eliminate these threats from “murdering more Americans.”

While a White House official stated that the note was a legally mandated requirement sent after one of the strikes on September 15 and “does not convey any new information,” legal experts have raised concerns regarding the legality of Washington’s military actions in international waters.

Tensions with Venezuela Flare Up

The US naval build-up and the strikes have significantly heightened tensions in the region. Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino denounced the US actions, stating that the country detected “an illegal incursion” by five US fighter jets flying within 75 kilometers of Venezuelan shores. Padrino condemned the alleged flights as a “provocation” and a “threat to our national security.”

The US military deployment is described as the largest in the Caribbean in over three decades, involving ten F-35 aircraft dispatched to Puerto Rico, eight warships, and a nuclear submarine. Following an incident last month where two Venezuelan military planes buzzed an American naval vessel, President Trump issued a stark warning to Caracas that any repeat of the action would result in Venezuelan jets being “shot down.” President Maduro has consistently accused the Trump administration of using the drug interdiction operation as a cover for a covert bid to bring about regime change in Venezuela.