Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration is promising to “wage combat” against drug cartels following a strike targeting an alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
What happened? On Tuesday, the US destroyed a small boat carrying 11 people in the southern Caribbean Sea. The boat was in international waters at the time of the strike, and its destination was unclear, though Donald Trump said it was bound for the US and the passengers were “Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.”
What’s the context? The Trump administration has made a string of aggressive moves against Venezuela in recent months, accusing it of “narcoterrorism” and cooperating with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang operating transnationally. Last week, the administration dispatched multiple US warships and an attack submarine to the Caribbean near the country.
What’s the big picture? This could just be the start of the Trump administration’s war on cartels. Trump has long expressed interest in taking direct military action against cartels, including reportedly asking during his first term about launching missiles into Mexico to target “drug labs.” Last month, Trump signed an order directing the use of force against drug cartels his organization has designated as terrorist organizations, including Tren de Aragua.
Why does this matter? Tuesday’s strike represents new, questionable territory for the US military. Though Tren de Aragua has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration, that doesn’t give the president the authority to order 11 deaths with no pretense of process. But the strikes are likely to continue: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Wednesday that “it'll happen again.”
