Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration is turning up the pressure on suspected drug smugglers at sea, launching a record number of strikes in a single day.
On Monday, U.S. forces struck four alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific, killing 14 people on board and leaving just one survivor.
“The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a statement on social media.
“Eight male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessels during the first strike. Four male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the second strike. Three male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the third strike. A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed during the three strikes, with one survivor. All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed,” Hegseth added.
Officials say it’s the first time multiple vessels have been hit in a single day — marking a sharp escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against so-called “narco-boats.”
Earlier this year, President Trump designated international drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations.”
Until last week, U.S. operations were concentrated in the Caribbean Sea. But now, the campaign has expanded into the Pacific — hitting suspected traffickers further out at sea. Just four days ago, a strike targeting a vessel allegedly run by a Venezuelan gang killed six people in the Caribbean. Since the campaign began, 14 boats have been destroyed, 57 people killed and three survivors pulled from the water.
President Trump is traveling overseas in Asia this week. He spoke about the strikes and the suspected drugs that were destroyed while visiting a naval base in Japan Tuesday.
“But each one of those vessels that we hit, kill on average, 25,000 people, American people, every single year,” said President Trump. “At long last, we’re finally waging war on the cartels. We’re waging war like they’d never seen before — and we’re going to win that battle. We’re winning it already.”
Critics and some lawmakers are concerned about a lack of transparency. They say the growing number of strikes raises questions about oversight and escalation.
The frequency of these targeted strikes is increasing as the range expands. The Pentagon says the campaign is expected to continue.
“The Department has spent over two decades defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own. These narco-terrorists have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them,” said Secretary Hegseth.
