The Trump administration authorized the use of lethal force against drug cartels

President Donald Trump's administration has adopted a new and forceful strategy against drug trafficking by authorizing the use of lethal force against criminal groups linked to drug cartels in Latin America.

The decision is based on a classified legal opinion issued by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) of the Department of Justice, which considers these cartels imminent threats to national security, equating them to terrorist groups or unlawful combatants.

This opinion, not yet publicly disclosed, allows the president to order lethal attacks without prior judicial authorization, significantly expanding the Executive Branch's capabilities to combat drug trafficking abroad.

According to sources familiar with the document, the list of cartels covered by this policy goes beyond those that have been publicly designated as terrorist organizations.

The measure has had immediate consequences: the Pentagon has confirmed at least four attacks against vessels in the Caribbean, with lethal results for individuals affiliated with the designated cartels. The most recent occurred last week, when an attack ordered by the Department of Defense killed four individuals aboard a criminal vessel.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly defended the actions, stating that the United States is in an "armed conflict" with these criminal organizations. Meanwhile, sources from the Department of Justice indicated that the OLC's opinion has served as the legal basis to justify this aggressive stance.

Additionally, it has been reported that the CIA has received authorization to expand its covert operations against the cartels, including the possibility of carrying out lethal actions. Surveillance drones, with armed capability, are already operating in Mexican airspace as part of a broader strategy of intelligence gathering and deterrence.

The administration is also working on updating a presidential finding dating back to the 1980s, which allows the CIA to carry out covert actions in the region under the umbrella of the war on drugs.

Sources within the intelligence community have confirmed that the objective is to provide greater clarity regarding the agency's scope and responsibilities in this new phase of the fight against drug trafficking.

The policy, supported at the highest level of government, has caused some disputes within the Pentagon. Some military lawyers (JAGs) have expressed concerns about the legality of the attacks, arguing that traffickers should be treated as criminals with due process rights, not as enemy combatants.

However, the OLC's opinion prevails as a binding legal interpretation for the Executive, which limits the ability of the Department of Defense's legal advisors to object to it.

Despite the criticism, the strategy has been widely approved by sectors that believe the traditional approach to drug trafficking has failed. By elevating the conflict to a military level, the Trump administration seeks to deter and dismantle the criminal organizations that operate with violence and impunity in the region.

With this measure, the United States government makes it clear that it will not tolerate transnational threats and that it is willing to use all available resources—legal, military, and institutional—to protect its citizens and secure its borders.