Under a microscope and facing growing calls for transparency, the Pentagon is barreling ahead with its strikes on alleged drug boats. Defense Secretary Hegth announced another strike yesterday. This one in the Eastern Pacific.It was carried out on the very same day that top commanders were briefing key lawmakers about the controversial first strikes of this campaign which resulted in a so-called double tap in September that killed two shipwrecked survivors. Julia, let's start on this new strike. What do we ...

Donald Trump keeps justifying the killing of more than 80 men on boats in the Caribbean, including two who were shipwrecked, as a way to save Americans from the deadly scourge of drugs. But then just this week, amidst this whole scandal, he pardoned a man who helped traffic more than 500 tons of cocaine into the US. Last year, the ex-president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was convicted here in the US for basically running his country like a narco state.The jury returned its verdict after a two-week ...

You released video of that first boat strike on September 2nd, but not the second video. Will you release video of that strike so that the American people can see for themselves what happened. >> I don't know what they have, but whatever they have, we certainly release.No problem. You know, we stopped every boat we knock out. We saved 25,000 American lives.>> And if you look at our if you look at our numbers, >> uh the drugs coming in through sea are down 91%. I'm I'm surprised it's 9%. You want to ask.I do ...

Allegations of Illegal Military Actions - The report alleges the administration may have declared a "war" with Venezuela as a pretext for using the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals [2][3] - Concerns are raised about the legality and justification of military actions, specifically targeting boats suspected of drug trafficking, questioning why standard interdiction procedures aren't followed [4] - The report suggests the administration may be prioritizing "video game style visuals" for media consumption over legal and ethical considerations, potentially exposing military personnel to liability for murder or war crimes [5] Criticism of Leadership and Potential Consequences - The report expresses concern for military personnel potentially implicated in illegal actions, suggesting a "catastrophe" for this generation of service members [6][7] - The report anticipates potential calls for the Secretary of Defense's resignation following investigations into the alleged illegal actions [6][7] Concerns About the Use of the Military - The report highlights concerns about the former president's desire to use the military for domestic purposes, including law enforcement and disaster response, potentially undermining other forms of governance [11][12][13][14] - The report emphasizes the importance of internal discipline and ethics within the military to prevent its misuse for authoritarian purposes [14][15] Internal Dissent and Potential Exposure - The report suggests internal friction and dissent within the military, including resignations and removals of senior officers, due to concerns about the legality of the actions [17][18] - The report indicates the emergence of a secret classified memo from the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department, potentially offering legal protection for these actions [18]

Counter-Narcotics Strategy - The administration is actively targeting narco-terrorists and designated terrorist organizations in the hemisphere [1] - The strategy involves striking narco boats and disrupting their operations [1][2] - The approach marks a shift from previous administrations' "rinse and repeat" approach, emphasizing deterrence [3] Drug Interdiction - Drug flow by sea has reportedly decreased by 91% [2] - The success in interdiction has led to a temporary pause due to the scarcity of boats to strike [2]

We've been listening to President Trump and members of his cabinet speak at the ninth cabinet meeting of Trump's administration. It lasted just over two hours. We heard the president and Secretary Hegsth discussing a September strike on a boat the administration said was carrying naroterrorists.Secretary Hegsth saying he did not personally see survivors after the first strike on the boat and that he was not physically present when the boat was struck a second time, though he continued to support that decisi ...

Juan Orlando Hernández is released from a US prison after being pardoned by Trump. The ex-Honduran leader was convicted on drug trafficking charges. https://t.co/X3ocw56U8I ...

One of the sons of Mexican drug king Penel Chapo is taking a plea deal in a major US drug trafficking case. In a federal court in Chicago yesterday, Waqin Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing a criminal enterprise. He admitted to overseeing the transport of tens of thousands of kilos of drugs into the US through underground tunnels.Comes months after his brother also entered into a plea deal. The pair is accused of running a faction of the Sinaloa cartel once led by t ...

After months of deadly boat strikes near Venezuela, tonight President Trump is meeting with his national security team, including Defense Secretary Pete Haggath in the Oval Office, discussing their next move. It comes as Congress is demanding answers about this attack on September 2nd. The Trump administration now confirms it hit an alleged drug boat, not once, but twice.The second strike ordered after the first failed to kill everyone on board. A US official and a source familiar with the Pentagon's action ...

Joining us, MS Now congressional reporter Michael Schnell, editor and chief of foreign policy and host of FP Live, Ravi Agarwal, and retired fourstar general and MS Now military analyst, General Barry McCaffrey. Interesting to see um so many Republican lawmakers today, Michael, saying that they're concerned and they need more more answers out of the Pentagon. >> Yeah, Katie.And notably, it's the bipartisan lawmakers, including those Republicans from a pair of key committees, both the House Armed Services Co ...