Trump has determined U.S. is in armed conflict with cartels, administration tells Congress

The U.S. military has recently struck at least three boats from Venezuela allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs that could threaten Americans, Trump said on Truth Social.

The Trump administration informed Congress in a confidential notice this week that President Donald Trump has "determined" that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and that members of the organizations can be targeted as unlawful combatants.

“The President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States,” the notice said.

"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,” it added.

The designation essentially puts drug cartels in the same legal category as terrorist groups like Al Qaeda or the Islamic State.

In recent weeks, the U.S. military struck at least three boats from Venezuela allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs that could threaten Americans, Trump said on Truth Social.