WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump has defended a series of lethal military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, calling the operations a matter of “national security.”
“We Have Legal Authority,” Says Trump
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed the U.S. is justified in using deadly force to stop narcotics trafficking.
“They killed 300,000 Americans last year,” Trump said. “That gives you legal authority.”
He added that every intercepted vessel “saves 25,000 American lives.”
The president also warned that traffickers may shift to land routes now that “there are very few boats traveling on the water.”
Critics Challenge Trump’s Numbers
Drug experts and health agencies have pushed back on Trump’s claim. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the real number of overdose deaths in the U.S. last year was approximately 75,000 — far below Trump’s cited figure.
PolitiFact noted that there is “no way of knowing” how many lives are directly saved through U.S. naval strikes against drug vessels.
Tensions with Colombia
Trump also took aim at Colombian President Gustavo Petro, calling him a “thug and a bad guy” who is “making a lot of drugs.” He warned that “serious action” could follow if Colombia fails to curb trafficking.
Ongoing Campaign at Sea
According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the latest operation marked the eighth strike in recent weeks, bringing the campaign’s death toll to over 30.
Trump said Congress will be “kept informed” if operations expand onto land.
“Something very serious is going to happen,” he added. “We have to do it to save lives.”
