Hemispheric Defense: Trump Directs Military For Kinetic Ops Against Foreign Drug Cartels | ZeroHedge
Per The New York Times reporting, President Trump has issued a new directive authorizing the Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct direct military operations against select Latin American drug cartels designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This represents a major escalation in the administration’s counter-cartel posture, moving beyond law enforcement and intelligence support to offensive kinetic missions.
The directive, according to people familiar with the matter, provides legal cover for potential direct U.S. military operations at sea and on foreign soil, bypassing the traditional law enforcement framework.
“It signals Mr. Trump’s continued willingness to use military forces to carry out what has primarily been considered a law enforcement responsibility to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs,” The New York Times wrote in the report.