All articles tagged with #legal justification
Trump officials defended a second strike on a drug boat, claiming it aimed to destroy the vessel and eliminate the threat, with legal backing from an internal memo that permits lethal force against vessels involved in drug trafficking, despite criticism and questions about the justification.
The Trump administration has informed Congress that it currently lacks legal justification to launch strikes inside Venezuela and is not planning any such attacks, although it is seeking a new legal opinion to potentially justify land strikes in the future. The US has conducted 16 strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September, primarily targeting vessels linked to criminal organizations, but officials have not publicly disclosed detailed evidence connecting these vessels to drug trafficking.
The Justice Department informed Congress that the Trump administration can conduct lethal military strikes on alleged drug traffickers without congressional approval, citing a classified legal opinion that equates drug cartels with terrorists and argues that the strikes do not trigger the War Powers Resolution, raising concerns about legality and oversight.
The Justice Department informed Congress that the Trump administration can conduct lethal military strikes on alleged drug traffickers without needing congressional approval, citing a classified legal opinion that equates drug cartels with terrorists and argues that the strikes do not trigger the War Powers Law, raising concerns about legality and oversight.
Top Senators from the Armed Services Committee criticized the Pentagon for not sharing key information and legal justifications regarding its strikes on marine vessels during the Trump administration, despite repeated requests for documentation.
Former officials and legal experts are raising concerns about President Trump's recent missile strikes on boats suspected of drug trafficking, questioning the legality and blurring the lines between law enforcement and military actions, with some critics warning that such unilateral use of force could set dangerous precedents.
A US military strike in the Caribbean targeting a boat linked to drug traffickers lacked conclusive evidence that the targets were gang members or posed an imminent threat, raising legal and ethical questions about the use of force without clear identification or self-defense justification, according to Senate Democrats and briefings.