President Donald Trump on Monday said American forces had attacked and destroyed a second small boat purportedly carrying narcotics from Venezuela to the United States, killing three people who he referred to as “narcoterrorists” in a social media post.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the “second kinetic strike” had been carried out on his orders against “positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists” operating in the area of responsibility for the U.S. Southern Command.
“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics … headed to the U.S.,” he said.
He added that such “extremely violent drug trafficking cartels” are “a threat to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy and vital U.S. interests” and stated that “3 male terrorists” were killed in the strike.
Continuing, the president said his administration was “hunting” anyone who is “transporting drugs that can kill Americans” and accused drug cartels of having wrought “DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens.”
The strike, which was captured by an American video camera with footage posted to Truth Social by the president, is the second such attack this month against a boat the Trump administration has claimed to be carrying drugs.
Earlier this month, U.S. forces struck a similar vessel carrying 11 people who the White House claimed were members of Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang which the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization and has attempted to link to the Venezuelan government headed by dictator Nicolas Maduro.
The action drew condemnation from some members of Congress who stressed that the legislative branch has not authorized military action against Venezuela while citing longstanding statutory prohibitions against using the U.S. military for law enforcement purposes.
In a letter to the White House earlier this month, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and 24 other Democratic members of the upper chamber said the Trump administration has provided “no legitimate legal justification” for the strike and demanded more information from the administration on the situation and use of U.S. military power.
At least one Republican, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, has also suggested that Trump lacked the authority to order the strike.
The Trump administration has claimed self-defense as a legal justification for the strike, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing the drug cartels “pose an immediate threat” to the nation. The U.S., which has designated Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, has indicated more military strikes on drug targets could be coming as it seeks to “wage war” on cartels.
“The President acted in line with the laws of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring poison to our shores,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement justifying the initial strike earlier this month. “He is delivering on his promise to take on the cartels and eliminate these national security threats from murdering more Americans.”
With additional reporting by agencies
