The U.S. military has conducted dozens of deadly strikes against vessels of alleged narcoterrorists, sparking concerns about the administration's tactics.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has written a letter to President Donald Trump expressing his concerns about the administration's boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers, suggesting that they have killed people who were not participating in narcotrafficking.
"They are murder victims," the senator asserted in the letter, dated August 3.
A White House spokesperson responded to the concerns, stating that President Trump has taken unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of innocent Americans.
The U.S. military has targeted vessels of alleged "narco-terrorists" in international waters in the Americas, pursuant to a directive from the President.
The directive, issued in July 2025, directed the Department of Defense to conduct kinetic operations to combat narcotrafficking operations in the Americas, with a list of targeted organizations classified.
The classification of the list means that those being targeted are unaware that they are marked for execution, according to the senator's letter.
A Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion provided legal support for the operations, but the conditions under which they can be carried out are classified.
The Department of Defense implemented the directive in October 2025, with targeting criteria that is also classified.
Sen. Kaine has asked the President to look into the extent to which the leadership of the Department of Defense has exceeded his directive, and to halt the operation.
