Topline<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump resisted the idea of making a declaration of war against Venezuelan drug cartels being targeted by U.S. military strikes, telling reporters Thursday \u201cwe\u2019re gonna kill them\u201d as the legality of the strikes, which have not been approved by Congress, has come into question.<\/p>\n
Trump commented on strikes against drug cartels Thursday. (Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
When asked by a reporter why he would not ask Congress for a declaration of war against the cartels, Trump said, \u201cI don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war, I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The U.S. military has carried out at least nine strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean against alleged drug boats since September that have killed about 39 people and left few survivors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re gonna kill them, you know? They\u2019re gonna be like, dead,\u201d Trump added.<\/p>\n
The president also claimed reports<\/a> about U.S. B-1 bombers being sent near Venezuela were \u201cfalse,\u201d though he said land strikes<\/a> against Venezuelan drug cartels are \u201cgoing to be next.\u201d<\/p>\n The Trump administration said early this month the U.S. is in a formal \u201carmed conflict\u201d with drug cartels and that alleged smugglers are \u201cunlawful combatants,\u201d labeling Venezuela\u2019s Tren de Aragua crime organization and other adjacent gangs as foreign terrorists.<\/p>\n Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We\u2019re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day\u2019s headlines. Text \u201cAlerts\u201d to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n What To Watch For<\/p>\n Trump said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will go to Congress to discuss ongoing military operations against the alleged drug smugglers, adding, \u201cWe\u2019ll go, we\u2019re going to tell them what we\u2019re going to do and I think they\u2019re gonna probably like it except for the radical left lunatics.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Background<\/p>\n Bipartisan concerns have materialized over the sea strikes. Republican Sens. Rand Paul, Ky., and Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, voted alongside Democrats in a failed resolution that aimed to require the U.S. military to receive congressional approval before attacking \u201cany non-state organization engaged in the promotion, trafficking, and distribution of illegal drugs and other related activities.\u201d The \u201carmed conflict\u201d declared by the Trump administration, according to international law, allows the lawful killing of enemy combatants even if they do not pose a threat, as well as the ability to indefinitely detain them. \u201cIs it too much to ask to know the names of those we kill before we kill them?\u201d Paul said this month. \u201cTo know what evidence exists of their guilt?\u201d<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n