On Monday, the U.S. military carried out strikes in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of 14 individuals aboard four boats, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday.
These attacks represent the deadliest single day so far in President Donald Trump’s campaign targeting vessels that his administration asserts are operated by drug trafficking cartels, further intensifying an operation that has started to attract scrutiny.
Hegseth stated that the four vessels “were identified by our intelligence apparatus, traveling along established narco-trafficking routes, and transporting narcotics.” He also mentioned that one survivor was rescued, with Mexico taking charge of the rescue efforts.
Footage of the strikes, posted by Hegseth on social media, depicted multiple boats engulfed in flames.
These strikes elevate the total fatalities of the campaign to 57. Consistent with earlier operations, the administration has yet to offer proof that those targeted were cartel affiliates. Relatives of at least one individual killed in a prior strike asserted he was a fisherman and not a cartel member.
Legal scholars have raised concerns regarding the legitimacy of Trump’s bombing of presumed civilian cartel members, noting the absence of any effort to intercept or apprehend the suspects, and a lack of congressional authorization. Even proponents of the War on Terror—a military campaign similarly expansive and vaguely defined, which pushed the boundaries of executive authority—have criticized this operation.
“The president is employing force against civilians—they might be violating narcotics laws, they might be criminals—but he has simply executed them without due process, individuals who posed no threat to the United States,” stated John Bellinger, who served as a legal advisor for the U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council under the George W. Bush Administration. “Either Trump is ignorant of international law, or he disregards it,” Bellinger further remarked.
This recent operation unfolds as an increasing number of members within Trump’s own party are openly disputing the bombing campaign, which has evolved into a wider pressure initiative targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the Trump Administration deems illegitimate.
Trump has been involved in actions concerning Venezuela, but in recent weeks, he has intensified threats against the country’s president and commanded a significant naval buildup off Venezuela’s coast.
Furthermore, Trump has sanctioned the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out clandestine operations within Venezuela and indicated he was considering ground strikes against the country.
Republican Senator Mike Rounds, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, advocated for increased examination of the strikes during a Wednesday interview with the media.
“We possess oversight responsibilities, and we anticipate our questions being addressed,” he stated.
North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis also pressed for discussions regarding the authorization of military force. “I believe we must exercise extreme caution when contemplating ordering a kinetic strike,” he informed the Times.
Maine Senator Susan Collins similarly conveyed to the Times that valid inquiries exist concerning the legality of Trump’s strikes in the absence of congressional approval. Collins expressed her desire for the Senate to “pass a resolution that either permits his force or prohibits its deployment,” despite these remarks following a previous vote that would have prevented Trump from persisting with his attacks on unmarked vessels.
Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford informed C-SPAN that the White House “is obligated to provide insight” to Congress regarding the military strikes
“If such a limited level of insight were occurring under the Biden administration, I would be apoplectic,” Lankford added.
Kentucky’s libertarian Republican Senator Rand Paul has consistently criticized the campaign. This past weekend, Paul went as far as to concur with international experts in labeling these actions, which the Trump Administration states have resulted in 43 deaths, as “extrajudicial killings.”
“No names were disclosed, no evidence was provided, no information was given on whether they were armed, and no proof has been presented,” he stated during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”
He further added, “The Constitution mandates a congressional vote for engaging in war,” underscoring that the “drug war” has historically been managed via domestic law enforcement.
