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WASHINGTON — Under Donald Trump, the U.S. drug war increasingly mirrors the war on terror, using lethal force and covert action against Latin American cartels. The administration justifies these operations through legal frameworks first introduced after the September 11 attacks.
Military tactics redefine the drug war
The Trump drug war has already claimed 27 lives across five U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats in international waters. Trump argues that decades of Coast Guard patrols have failed, insisting that “overwhelming force” is the only effective response. However, legal experts say these actions stretch international law and risk reigniting Latin America’s resentment toward past U.S. interventions.
Trump hinted the U.S. might even strike targets inside Venezuela, escalating tensions and legal stakes. Intelligence agencies, meanwhile, dispute his claim that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro cooperates with the Tren de Aragua gang to traffic drugs and migrants.
Legal experts sound alarms
National security scholars warn that labeling drug cartels as wartime enemies could dismantle the boundaries of lawful combat. “You can’t just call something war to give yourself war powers,” said Claire Finkelstein of the University of Pennsylvania.
After 9/11, al-Qaida’s goal was mass murder of civilians. Cartels, however, seek profit through narcotics, not ideology. That distinction makes Trump’s justification for military strikes “a mockery of international law,” Finkelstein said.
Domestic politics and power expansion
Legal analysts argue Trump’s motives may be political, citing his expansion of military roles inside U.S. borders. He has deployed National Guard troops to cities and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act.
Congress has not declared war, and the Trump administration has refused to provide lawmakers with evidence that targeted boats carried drugs. A war powers resolution to limit Trump’s unilateral action was recently voted down by the GOP-led Senate.
International concerns mount
Relatives of Venezuelans killed in the attacks face barriers to suing in U.S. courts. Legal experts say the International Criminal Court could open an investigation since the strikes occurred in international waters.
However, the ICC is currently crippled by internal scandals and political pressure over its war crimes probes against Russia and Israel.
Despite mounting criticism, Trump continues to defend his aggressive approach. “We’ve almost totally stopped it by sea,” he said. “Now we’ll stop it by land.”
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