The Just Security Podcast

Murder on the High Seas Part II: What We Know about U.S. Vessel Strikes One Month In

Season 1 Episode 125

Since early September, President Trump has ordered the U.S. military to conduct multiple lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in at least 21 deaths. 

These unprecedented military actions raise critical questions about the identity of those targeted, the Administration’s legal justification, and the scope of presidential power to designate “terrorists” and authorize lethal force. What checks exist from Congress, courts, or the executive branch to limit such authority?

On this episode of the Just Security Podcast, cross-hosted with the Reiss Center on Law and Security, host Tess Bridgeman and co-host Rachel Goldbrenner are joined by experts Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane to analyze the facts, the law, and the broader implications of this military campaign in the Caribbean.

They examine an important new chapter in the use of force against drug cartels and explores how far presidential powers extend in such contexts.

Show Notes: 

This is a joint podcast of Just Security and NYU Law School’s Reiss Center on Law and Security.

Executive branch reporting on the vessel strikes, on Tren de Aragua, and related resources:

Listeners may also be interested in Just Security‘s Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers (updated, Oct. 3, 2025), including: