Trump Declares Armed Conflict With Drug Cartels, Notifies Congress

President Donald Trump has officially declared that the United States is in an armed conflict with certain drug cartels, classifying suspected smugglers as "unlawful combatants." This declaration justifies recent U.S. military strikes on drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean, where all 17 people aboard were killed, framing these operations as acts of war rather than extrajudicial killings. The administration's move, communicated to Congress in a confidential notice, seeks to establish a new legal framework granting the president extraordinary wartime powers in combating the cartels, which it has labeled as terrorist organizations. This escalation has sparked legal and political controversy, with critics arguing that the War Powers Act requires explicit congressional authorization and warning that this precedent may challenge U.S. and international law. Meanwhile, U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking have expanded to allied countries like Ecuador, where increased raids and cooperation with American military resources are underway as part of Trump's broader campaign against drug cartels. These developments highlight a significant intensification in the U.S. government's approach to drug cartels and raise important questions about legal authority and the impact on affected communities.