January 1, Trump Targets Cartels With Unyielding Force

Wyatt’s Take

• Trump warns cartel drug runners will face overwhelming U.S. force.
• The administration is boosting military action near Venezuela.
• Some lawmakers challenge Trump’s right to act, but his supporters say defending Americans comes first.

President Trump has stepped up the fight against cartels, promising to eliminate narco-terrorists and the drugs they bring into America. His message is clear: “We will blow you out of existence” if you target U.S. shores.

The White House notified Congress that America is now in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug traffickers. There have been four deadly strikes against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean since September.

A new counter-narcotics task force was announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth under the Southern Command. Hegseth posted, “The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold.”

Experts believe Venezuela could soon be in America’s crosshairs, not just smuggling routes on open waters. “By involving the military, the president is going after drug cartels in a way that no previous US administration has dared to so far,” said Geoff Ramsey.

Ramsey said military action inside Venezuela would be difficult and could trigger a larger conflict. “When two Venezuelan F-16s flew over a US destroyer last month, the fact that those planes weren’t blown out of the sky suggests that the US is not interested in a shooting war with Venezuela’s military,” he added.

Trump hasn’t dismissed hitting cartel operations by land, telling military leaders he’s watching for traffickers “coming by land.” U.S. naval forces have been reinforced in the Caribbean, with new warships rotating in for continued patrols.

Some experts, like Nathan Jones, predict these moves may not cut off fentanyl supply since much comes through Mexico, not the Caribbean. “I wouldn’t expect your drug flow to be affected because of these strikes. This could, though, leave transnational criminal organizations running a little scared in terms of what the administration is going to do,” Jones said.

Land or air smuggling may now take priority, as criminal groups adjust to the pressure on sea routes.

Congress has debated the strikes’ legality. Senators tried and failed to restrict Trump’s military power, with some Republicans supporting that effort. But others stood by the president, like Sen. Jim Risch, who said, “When he sees an attack like this coming — an attack of drugs or explosives or anything else that’s going to kill Americans — he not only has the authority to do something about it, he has the duty to do something about it.”

The administration remains committed to keeping Americans safe, regardless of political controversy.

Keep up with us for more on how Washington’s decisions impact families like yours, right here in the heartland.

Wyatt Matters

Protecting Main Street from the poison of illegal drugs and standing firm against threats to our country’s safety is something every working American understands. When Washington steps up to defend our communities, it’s about keeping our neighborhoods secure and our families strong.

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