WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asserted that he possesses full authorization to conduct military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea, following a recent U.S. attack off the coast of Venezuela that killed four people — the fourth such strike in recent weeks.
Speaking during an interview on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing,” Hegseth said the targets were vessels allegedly carrying illegal narcotics.
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“We have every authorization needed. These are designated as foreign terrorist organizations,” Hegseth stated, without elaborating on the specific legal authorities or intelligence supporting the strikes.
The U.S. government has justified the operations by invoking multiple legal bases, including the U.S. Constitution, war powers, the designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and international laws related to unlawful combatants and self-defense.
However, legal scholars and several lawmakers have raised alarms, arguing that such military actions in international waters against alleged criminal actors bypass due process, contradict established law enforcement norms, and lack clear legal grounding under both U.S. and international law. Critics maintain that the terrorist designation of drug cartels does not automatically authorize the use of military force.
Neither Hegseth nor President Donald Trump has provided concrete evidence that the targeted vessels were indeed transporting narcotics. In a recent communication to Congress, Trump declared that the United States is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels — a claim that experts say stretches existing legal frameworks.
Some analysts view the strikes as part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration testing the limits of presidential military authority, particularly in regions outside active war zones.
“If you’re in our hemisphere, if you’re in the Caribbean, if you’re north of Venezuela and you want to traffic drugs to the United States, you are a legitimate target of the United States military,” Hegseth said.
Critics have also questioned why the U.S. military, rather than the Coast Guard — which traditionally oversees maritime law enforcement — has taken the lead on the operations.
President Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House on Sunday, claimed that the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean had effectively disrupted narcotics trafficking routes.
“There’s no drugs coming into the water. And we’ll look at what phase two is,” he said.
The strikes have drawn international condemnation, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressing concern to his Venezuelan counterpart over the escalating U.S. actions in the region. Lavrov warned that the continued use of force in Caribbean waters could further destabilize the region and heighten the risk of armed confrontation.
