WASHINGTON (BN24) — The Trump administration has formally notified Congress that President Donald Trump has determined the United States is engaged in an “armed conflict” with major drug cartels, a move that places the groups in the same legal category as foreign terrorist organizations and authorizes expanded military action against them.
In a confidential notice delivered this week, the administration said Trump had classified the cartels as “non-state armed groups,” designated them as terrorist organizations, and concluded that their actions amount to “an armed attack against the United States.”
“In response, based upon the cumulative effects of these hostile acts against the citizens and interests of United States and friendly foreign nations, the President determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” the notice stated.
The declaration marks one of the most significant legal shifts in U.S. counter-narcotics policy in decades. By framing the cartels as unlawful combatants rather than criminal entities, the administration is asserting wartime authorities to target cartel members, potentially including operations beyond U.S. borders.
The notification to Congress followed several recent U.S. military strikes against suspected cartel-linked vessels. Trump said on Truth Social that U.S. forces had struck at least three boats from Venezuela in recent weeks that were allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs capable of threatening Americans.
The congressional notice cited one such operation on Sept. 15 that killed “approximately three unlawful combatants,” underscoring the administration’s expanded approach to using military force.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the strikes in a statement Thursday, saying the president acted “in line with the law of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring deadly poison to our shores.” She added that Trump was “delivering on his promise to take on the cartels and eliminate these national security threats from murdering more Americans.”
The administration’s move has sparked sharp debate in Washington. NBC News reported last month that officials were considering launching military strikes against drug cartels inside Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denied any role in drug trafficking and accused the U.S. of attempting to overthrow him.
Critics, including congressional Democrats and some Republicans, argue that the administration lacks the legal authority to use the military against cartels, contending that drug trafficking should remain a law enforcement issue centered on interdiction. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as acting national security adviser, has described traditional interdiction efforts as ineffective.
The administration’s legal determination effectively puts the cartels on par with groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, opening the door for a sustained military campaign targeting their operations.
