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    Trump signs directive to use military force against cartels

    By Robyn Oster
    August 2025

    President Trump secretly signed a directive to the Pentagon to begin using military force against certain Latin American drug cartels that his administration has deemed terrorist organizations.

    • The details: The order provides an official basis for the possibility of direct military operations at sea and on foreign soil against cartels.

    The bigger context: The decision signals Trump’s continued willingness to use military forces to curb the flow of drugs, typically considered a law enforcement responsibility.

    • Trump has already deployed National Guard and active duty troops to the border to stop the flow of drugs and immigrants. He designated several cartels as terrorist organizations.
    • The U.S. military has had some involvement in drug interdiction before, but the new directive appears to envision a different approach, focused on U.S. forces directly capturing or killing people involved in the drug trade.

    But: The order raises a number of legal issues.