Washington — President Donald Trump has informed Congress that the United States is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels, classifying cartel members as “unlawful combatants” in a move that expands presidential war powers and raises legal and political challenges.
The notice, first reported by The New York Times and later confirmed by multiple U.S. media outlets, follows a series of U.S. military operations in the Caribbean last month. American forces sank at least three boats alleged to be carrying narcotics, leaving 17 people dead. At least two vessels reportedly departed from Venezuela’s coast.
The strikes drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who questioned their legality and warned that under the War Powers Resolution, Congress must authorize military action. The administration, however, has argued that designating cartels as terrorist organizations provides legal grounds for treating them as enemy combatants.
By framing the campaign as an armed conflict, the White House is seeking to justify expanded authority — including the ability to detain cartel members indefinitely and prosecute them in military tribunals. Legal experts and human rights groups contend that the attacks violate international law.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López condemned what he described as a U.S. “provocation,” saying five American fighter jets were spotted near Venezuelan airspace this week. “It is a major threat against the nation’s security,” he said.
Pentagon officials have not disclosed which groups are included in the new conflict designation, a lack of clarity that has frustrated lawmakers briefed on the decision, according to the Associated Press.
The first incident occurred on Sept. 2, when U.S. forces struck a vessel carrying 11 people, all of whom were killed. Trump announced the operation from the Oval Office, claiming the boat was operated by members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal network the administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.
The White House argues that record levels of drug inflows pose a national security threat requiring military action. Nearly 100,000 Americans die each year from drug overdoses, most linked to fentanyl. Experts note, however, that the majority of fentanyl entering the United States comes from Mexico rather than Venezuela.
The administration’s position is expected to trigger an intensifying debate over the limits of presidential war powers, the role of Congress, and the consequences of militarizing the fight against drug trafficking.
