Sen. Ruben Gallego says Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats are 'murder'

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said in an interview on "Meet the Press" that President Donald Trump's decisions to strike alleged drug boats in the Caribbean were "murder."

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said on “Meet the Press” that President Donald Trump’s decisions to strike alleged drug boats in the Caribbean were “murder.”

Asked whether he believed that the strikes were consistent with international law, Gallego said, “No, it’s murder.”

“It’s very simple,” Gallego continued. “If this president feels that they’re doing something illegally, then he should be using the Coast Guard. If there’s an act of war, then you use our military, and then you come and talk to us first. But this is murder.”

Gallego’s comments come as the U.S. has said it conducted 10 strikes on alleged drug boats since September, killing dozens of people. Two of the strikes were in the eastern Pacific, and eight strikes were in the Caribbean Sea. NBC News has not independently confirmed whether the boats were carrying drugs.

NBC News has also previously reported that Democrats and Republicans in Congress have grown concerned over a lack of information about the strikes. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has slammed the strikes, saying last week on “Meet the Press” that the strikes “go against all of our tradition.” Earlier in October, the Senate voted down a resolution that would have required the administration to seek congressional approval before further strikes.