United States Vice President JD Vance said on Saturday that killing “cartel members” who bring drugs to America is the “best use” of the country’s military. This comment came days after US forces attacked a drug-carrying boat in the southern Caribbean, which had left Venezuela, killing 11 people.
Vance wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.” A user, Brian Krassenstein, replied, calling the action a “war crime,” saying, “Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.”
Donald Trump Had Justified Killing of Drug Dealers; Called Them ‘Terrorists’
The discussion followed a statement by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. He said US forces had struck a ship carrying “illegal narcotics” heading to the US, killing 11 people he called “terrorists.” Trump identified them as members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), which the US labels a “Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
Trump shared a video of the strike showing the ship exploding and stated that no US forces were harmed. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote:
Donald Trump Said He Ordered the US Forces To Take Action Against Drug Dealers
“Earlier this morning, on my orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area. TdA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence across the United States and the Western Hemisphere. The strike occurred at sea in international waters while they were transporting illegal drugs to the US. The strike killed 11 terrorists. No U.S. forces were harmed. Let this serve as a warning to anyone thinking of bringing drugs into the United States. BEWARE!”
The US strike has increased tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Venezuelan authorities condemned the attack, saying it violated international law, while the US insists it targeted terrorists involved in drug trafficking. The incident highlights the ongoing conflict over drug smuggling and US military actions in the region.
Also Read: Venezuela Deploys 15,000 Troops to Colombia Border Amid US Anti-Drug Ops
