A Pentagon official has reportedly stated that Tuesday’s U.S. attack on a Venezuelan vessel “directly targeted civilians,” stressing that even if the passengers were transporting drugs, they should be considered “criminals” rather than “combatants.”
“When Trump fired the military’s top lawyers the rest saw the writing on the wall, and instead of being a critical firebreak they are now a rubber stamp complicit in this crime,” the official told The Intercept.
Other officials confirmed that the legal justification for the strike was drafted after the operation had already taken place.
White House Response
On Thursday, the White House defended the attack, with Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly saying it was carried out “in defense of vital U.S. national interests and in the collective self-defense of other nations who have long suffered due to narcotics trafficking and violent cartel activities.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also argued that the mission was necessary:
“Every boatload of any form of drug that poisons the American people is an imminent threat, and at the DoD our job is to defeat imminent threats.”
Two officials, however, dismissed that explanation as “completely unserious,” noting it was written after the incident.
Strategic Shift
Reports indicate such operations are not only set to continue but could increase as the Trump administration shifts focus toward homeland security and operations in the Western Hemisphere.
According to a new policy draft obtained by Politico, this shift would take priority over deterring China and countering Moscow.
“This is going to be a major shift for the U.S. and its allies on multiple continents,” one source briefed on the document said. “The old, trusted U.S. promises are being questioned.”
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