Trump Announces Third Fatal Strike Against Alleged Drug-Smuggling Vessel

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. military has carried out its third fatal strike this month against an alleged drug-smuggling vessel. The administration said the strike killed three people and targeted a vessel affiliated with a designated terrorist organization conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Officials did not provide a precise location for the strike, and the White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump said intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking illicit narcotics and was transiting along a known narcotrafficking passage enroute to poison Americans. He said the strike followed another action earlier this week on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, which also killed three on board. That was preceded by a Sept. 2 strike on a drug-carrying speedboat that, according to the administration, killed 11 people. Trump asserted the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, which the United States designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year. The administration has framed the strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

Critics, including several lawmakers and human-rights groups, have questioned the legality of using military force for what they describe as a law-enforcement objective. They warn that such actions could overstep executive authority and may carry risks for civilians and regional stability. White House officials and Defense Department spokespeople have not provided further detail in response to those concerns.

Supporters of the policy say the strikes disrupt drug-smuggling networks and reduce the supply of narcotics entering the United States. They point to the designation of the Tren de Aragua gang as a foreign terrorist organization and argue that military actions in the USSOUTHCOM area are part of a broader effort to interdict shipments before they reach American shores.

Context and timeline are a moving part of the administration's approach in the Caribbean and northern South America. The latest strike marks the third fatal operation against a suspected drug-smuggling vessel this month, following a strike on Monday and an earlier Sept. 2 incident that officials described as a drug-smuggling speedboat attack resulting in multiple deaths. Officials say the region remains a focus of the U.S. anti-drug effort, with authorities warning smugglers use irregular routes and water passages to evade interdiction.