Trump Says No Declaration of War Needed to Go After Drug Cartels

As U.S. forces fire on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, the president said he would brief Congress on any ground operations against narco-traffickers.

A suspected drug smuggling vessel burns the day after a Coast Guard crew fired on it in the Caribbean Sea, on Sept. 7, 2025. U.S. Coast Guard

President Donald Trump expanded his administration’s fight against international drug cartels on Oct. 23, saying he would notify Congress about intensifying efforts that could soon include land-based operations.

“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,” Trump said to a pool of reporters at the White House. “I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK? We’re going to kill them.”