Trump declares drug cartels in Caribbean "unlawful combatants"

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Congress was notified that President Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and that the United States is now in a "non-international armed conflict," according to a Trump administration memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The designation follows three deadly strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean by the U.S. military. At least two were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela. Democrats have been pressing Trump to go to Congress and seek war powers authority for the operations.

The Trump administration has justified the attacks as necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. Several senators, Democrats and even some Republicans, and human rights groups, have questioned the legality of Trump’s action.