Trump Authorizes Military To Do What?

President Trump has quietly signed a directive authorizing the Pentagon to use military force against specific drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations, according to a report from The New York Times.

The classified order provides the legal groundwork for potential U.S. military operations targeting these criminal groups. Pentagon officials have reportedly begun drafting plans for how such missions could be carried out. However, any unilateral strikes risk sparking legal challenges particularly if they result in the deaths of individuals who are not posing an imminent threat or who fall outside conflicts formally authorized by Congress.

“President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Hill.

Shortly after taking office, Trump issued executive actions labeling several major drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, giving federal agencies expanded tools to disrupt their operations.

The president also acknowledged in May that he had offered to deploy U.S. troops into Mexico to confront the cartels, an offer rejected by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

“We can collaborate. We can work together. But you in your territory, and us in ours,” Sheinbaum said at the time. “We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States Army in our territory.”