US forces recently sank two drug trafficking vessels with missiles off the coast of South America. Because of this unprecedented move, six lives were lost. These strikes were announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. They are indicative of the Trump administration’s continued efforts to combat the smuggling of dangerous narcotics and protect our national security.
These operations occurred in international waters and were carried out on ships linked to a foreign designated terrorist organization. Hegseth then assured the public that they couldn’t have harmed anyone because US forces conducted the operations. All six of those on-board the boats – described as male narco-terrorists – were killed.
“Both strikes were conducted in international waters and 3 male narco-terrorists were aboard each vessel. All 6 were killed. No US forces were harmed. Under President Trump, we are protecting the homeland and killing these cartel terrorists who wish to harm our country and its people.” – Pete Hegseth
This invasion is preceded by a long-standing pattern of strikes that began in early September. Most of these strikes were against vessels engaged in trafficking in dangerous drugs across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific corridors. Hegseth reports that these vessels are increasingly tied to illegal narcotics smuggling. They smuggle drugs in and out by sea, as part of a well-established narco-trafficking route.
In perhaps the most consequential political act of his presidency, Donald Trump has issued full pardons to over three dozen of his loyalists. These people were charged with attempting to overthrow Joe Biden’s election in the 2020 presidential election. The Trump administration put out a four-page hit list. It illustrates with documentary photographs of more than 70 of those who’ve now been granted “full, complete and unconditional” pardons.
“This is a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 presidential election and continue the process of national reconciliation.” – Donald Trump
As these events unfold, the government shutdown continues to affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers and those reliant on programs like food aid. Senators were able to come to an agreement on a relatively bipartisan stopgap deal. Though this deal will fund the government through January, the shutdown has already dragged on for over 40 days.
“It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending.” – Donald Trump
Secondly, Trump will be taking part in the swearing-in of new US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor. This is after his leadership on military interventionism and political pardons he’s orchestrating. This event will be remembered as one of the administration’s significant diplomatic achievements.
In his first major diplomatic act, Trump will receive Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House. We can make this visit historic! It would be the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the US since Syria became independent in 1946.
With thousands of flights canceled over the weekend, much of the nation’s transportation network remains deeply strained from those impacts. This unprecedented chaos resulted in over 10,000 delays per day across all airlines. All these disruptions added to the frustrations already felt during the government shutdown and continued military operations.
Trump’s administration is quite proud of its sanctions regime directed at Syria. Yet, simultaneously, it is focused on addressing domestic matters such as stemming drug trafficking. The backdrop These recent strikes would certainly seem to reaffirm a priority toward national security, while walking a high wire of complicated political arenas at home and abroad.