Trump Administration Conducts Caribbean, Pacific Boat Strikes Killing Over 60 Civilians Amid Identity Uncertainty

The Trump administration has conducted at least 14 military strikes against boats in international waters near the Caribbean and Pacific, killing over 60 civilians, many of whom remain unidentified even by the Department of Defense. These strikes target suspected drug traffickers and are justified by the administration under a declared "non-international armed conflict" and the president's Article II constitutional authority, claiming self-defense under international law. However, critics, including legal experts and members of Congress, argue these actions constitute illegal extrajudicial killings, as the military reportedly does not identify individuals before strikes and cannot meet evidentiary standards to hold or prosecute survivors. Lawmakers have expressed concern over the lack of transparency, with classified legal justifications withheld and no congressional authorization sought akin to prior military force authorizations. Representative Sara Jacobs and other Democrats have condemned the operations as unlawful and highlighted that many victims may have been innocent fishermen rather than criminals. Bipartisan calls for greater oversight have emerged amid accusations that the administration is circumventing legal norms and congressional scrutiny in this undeclared conflict.