Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth staunchly defended U.S. military strikes on alleged drug cartel boats during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday, asserting that President Donald Trump holds the authority to deploy force “as he sees fit” to safeguard American interests. The remarks, delivered amid escalating international backlash, underscore the Trump administration's aggressive posture on narcotics trafficking, which it has framed as a national security imperative akin to terrorism.

Hegseth dismissed mounting criticism that the operations—launched in early September in the Caribbean near Venezuela—violate international law, including principles of sovereignty and proportionality under the UN Charter. The strikes, targeting vessels suspected of smuggling fentanyl precursors, have resulted in over 80 deaths, with reports emerging of a second attack on September 2 that allegedly struck survivors clinging to wreckage. Hegseth likened the campaign to the post-9/11 war on terror, declaring, “If you’re working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you and we will sink you.”

The operations stem from a broader national security strategy unveiled earlier this week, which portrays European allies as insufficiently robust and seeks to reestablish U.S. hegemony in the Western Hemisphere. Regional experts have questioned the efficacy of the boat interdictions, noting that the vast majority of fentanyl enters the U.S. via land routes through Mexico rather than maritime paths from the Caribbean. Critics, including human rights groups and Latin American governments, argue the lack of judicial convictions for targeted individuals and scant public evidence of cartel affiliations could expose the U.S. to legal challenges at the International Court of Justice.

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Hegseth's address also touched on other flashpoints, including the administration's intent to counter China's ascent through military strength and Trump's pledge to resume nuclear testing on par with Beijing and Moscow—a proposal that has alarmed arms control advocates, as neither rival has conducted explosive tests in decades. The Kremlin has indicated it would mirror any U.S. resumption, potentially unraveling global non-proliferation norms. As scrutiny intensifies, the strikes highlight the Trump team's willingness to prioritize domestic security over diplomatic consensus, even at the risk of strained hemispheric relations.

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