President Donald Trump has formally declared that the United States is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, which he has classified as terrorist organizations. The move, confirmed in a confidential notice sent to Congress, paves the way for expanded military strikes in international waters.
The decision comes weeks after the U.S. carried out three controversial strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea, actions that killed 17 people and triggered legal and political concerns.
BREAKING: 🚨 White house notifies Congress the United States is NOW INVOLVED in a non-international ARMED CONFLICT with drug cartels.
— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) October 2, 2025
Donald Trump Defines Cartels as “Non-State Armed Groups”
According to the memo, first reported by The New York Times, Trump “determined” that cartels are “non-state armed groups” whose activities “constitute an armed attack against the United States.”
“Based upon the cumulative effects of these hostile acts against the citizens and interests of the United States and friendly foreign nations, the president determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” the memo stated.
The designation creates a formal legal framework granting Trump broader authority to use military force against targets the U.S. deems “unlawful.”
Concerns Over Legal and Human Rights Implications
The declaration has sparked alarm among lawmakers and legal experts. Under international law, a state of armed conflict allows governments to target enemies even without an immediate threat, detain individuals without due process, and prosecute them in military courts under looser standards than civilian systems.
BREAKING: The United States has declared war against drug cartels — Trump.
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) October 2, 2025
“Every American should be alarmed that Pres Trump has decided he can wage secret wars against anyone he labels an enemy,” said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Drug cartels must be stopped, but declaring war & ordering lethal military force without Congress or public knowledge – nor legal justification – is unacceptable.”
New Military Mandate and Donald Trump’s Warning
The memo revealed that Trump has directed his newly rebranded Department of War, led by Pete Hegseth, to conduct operations against designated non-state terrorist organizations “pursuant to the law of armed conflict.”
In a meeting with top generals in Virginia this week, Trump defended the strikes as part of a broader campaign against what he called “narco-terrorists.”
“If you try to poison our people, we will blow you out of existence,” he declared.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
