How Trump's strikes on "narco-terrorists" have escalated off Venezuela and beyond

"The White House has justified the strikes by claiming the victims were trafficking drugs to the U.S., but even some Republican lawmakers have raised questions about the escalating campaign, which has not been authorized by Congress. President Trump has said he doesn't need congressional authorization to target "narco-terrorists." His administration has claimed the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels."

"August: Bounty on Maduro, ships on the water The U.S. increased its bounty for information leading to Maduro's arrest on drug trafficking charges to $50 million on Aug. 7, a clear statement that it hoped for regime change in Caracas. The U.S. subsequently cut off diplomacy with Maduro to focus on its pressure campaign. In mid-August, the U.S. began sending a massive array of warships, spy planes, fighter jets, bombers, drones, and U.S. Marines to the waters off Venezuela."

"Sept. 2: U.S. carries out first strike The Pentagon announced a "precision strike against a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization," marking the start of Trump's international war on drugs. Trump posted a video of what appeared to be an aerial attack on a speedboat and said it killed 11 members of Tren de Aragua, a cartel based in Venezuela, in international waters."

The White House justified strikes by claiming the victims were trafficking drugs to the U.S. Some Republican lawmakers raised questions because the campaign lacked congressional authorization. President Trump said he did not need congressional authorization to target "narco-terrorists," and the administration called the situation an "armed conflict" with drug cartels. The strikes coincided with a U.S. military buildup intended to pressure Nicolás Maduro and could foreshadow land strikes. The U.S. raised a $50 million bounty on Maduro, cut off diplomacy, and deployed warships, aircraft, drones, and Marines to the region. In early September, the Pentagon carried out precision strikes in international waters against vessels tied to Venezuelan cartels, killing multiple suspected traffickers.

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