Trump admin expands its war on "narco-terrorists" to eastern Pacific
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President Trump, from left, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth during a meeting with Mark Rutte, not pictured, in the Oval Office on Oct. 22. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The U.S. announced it killed five purported "narco-terrorists" in two strikes on vessels in the eastern Pacific, marking an expansion of the Pentagon's shadowy military campaign.
The big picture: The Trump administration has now disclosed killing more than three dozen people across nine known strikes. The latest are the first the administration has acknowledged outside of the Caribbean.
- Several lawmakers have raised concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the strikes, which Democrats have blasted as illegal.
- Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) told Axios' Stef Kight Wednesday that "Congress isn't hearing enough" about the strikes, "in any form, including a public forum."
Driving the news: Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the first of the two strikes early Wednesday afternoon, saying the vessel was hit Tuesday while "transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route, and carrying narcotics."
- Hegseth said two "narco-terrorists" were killed in his post, which was accompanied by video of a boat going up in flames.
- He provided no further information about the location of the strike.
- Later Wednesday, he announced the U.S. had killed three more "terrorists" who he said were "engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific."
What they're saying: Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in a Wednesday post that "the U.S. government's strategy breaks the norms of international law," per a translation.
- He called the U.S. strikes "murder."
- Petro has been outspoken against the strikes he says have killed Colombian citizens. He accused the U.S. of killing a "lifelong fisherman" in a September strike.
- Trump retaliated after Petro's comments by announcing the U.S. would slash aid to Colombia and levy new tariffs on the country.
Catch up quick: The Trump administration has amassed warships, spy planes, U.S. Marines and more off the coast of Venezuela, as speculation swirls that the administration is weighing regime change there.
- Trump said earlier this month that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
- A day later, Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who oversees military operations across Central and South America and in the Caribbean Sea, announced he would retire from the Navy after decades of service without mentioning the strikes.
What we're watching: Trump on Wednesday said that "they will be hit on land also," adding his administration would "probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we are doing" before launching any land strikes.
- But, he added, "We don't have to do that."
Go deeper: Senate rejects effort to curb Trump's power to target alleged drug boats
