The Trump Cartel War Powers debate ended with the US Senate rejecting a bill that aimed to limit former President Donald Trump’s authority to strike drug cartels abroad. The proposal sought to restrict military action without congressional approval but failed in a narrow 48 to 51 vote.
Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bill that attempted to curb Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels. The legislation introduced by Senators Adam Schiff and Tim Kaine called for the withdrawal of US forces from unauthorized hostilities including operations targeting cartels involved in drug trafficking. Lawmakers argued that designating cartels as terrorist groups did not grant the president the right to launch attacks.
Democrats cited the 1973 War Powers Resolution to demand oversight of Trump’s unilateral strikes after he ordered attacks on boats suspected of smuggling drugs near Venezuela. Since September US forces have carried out at least four such operations killing 21 people. Critics said the actions risk drawing the US into another open ended conflict in Latin America.
Trump had previously labeled cartels such as Mexico’s Sinaloa and El Salvador’s MS 13 as foreign terrorist organizations. His administration described the military strikes as part of a non international armed conflict calling those killed unlawful combatants. Senators warned the moves could destabilize the region and blur constitutional limits on presidential war powers.
