• Trump's administration has declared a formal "armed conflict" with drug cartels, labeling them as unlawful combatants.
• Recent strikes in the Caribbean have resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals from alleged drug-smuggling boats.
• The legality of these military actions has been questioned by legal experts and some congressional lawmakers.

President Donald Trump has officially declared that the United States is engaged in a formal "armed conflict" with drug cartels, categorizing them as "unlawful combatants" in a recent memo to Congress. This statement follows a series of U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean, which have been characterized by the administration as necessary actions against "transnational" terrorist organizations operating illegally and threatening American citizens, according to ABC News and Los Angeles Times.

The memo reveals that the strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people, with accusations that some of the vessels involved originated from Venezuela. The administration characterizes these actions as an extension of self-defense, arguing the drug trafficking activities amount to armed attacks on the United States, as detailed in reports from Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the latest airstrike against a drug vessel, which was executed in international waters off Venezuela. The strike was announced alongside claims of substantial narcotics being transported by the vessel, described as "narco-terrorists". The legal justification for these military operations, however, has raised alarms among legal experts and certain lawmakers who question the War Powers Act compliance, as reported by CBS News and Los Angeles Times.

Legal experts have voiced concerns regarding the administration's narrative that allows for the killing of suspected drug traffickers at sea, without appropriate judicial oversight or clear legal parameters justifying such lethal force. This tension has prompted calls within Congress for assertive checks on presidential military authority, as noted by Vox and BBC.