The Trump administration has secretly identified 24 organizations as "designated terrorist groups" engaging in armed conflict with the United States. These groups include several Latin American cartels, such as Tren de Aragua and Ejército de Liberación Nacional, a Colombian guerrilla insurgency, and Cártel de los Soles, a Venezuelan crime group allegedly led by Nicolas Maduro.
However, many experts argue that these claims are unfounded and lack credible evidence. The administration's justification for the strikes relies on a classified opinion produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which has not been made public. Critics claim that this is an attempt to bypass Congress and circumvent its constitutional authority over matters of war and peace.
The Pentagon has admitted to carrying out 17 attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, resulting in the deaths of at least 70 people. However, most of those killed were not high-ranking members of these groups but rather laborers, fishermen, or low-level criminals.
Lawmakers have expressed concern about the lack of transparency and accountability in the administration's actions. The House Armed Services Committee chairman said that the administration's legal justifications are "dubious" and meant to circumvent Congress' authority. Others argue that the strikes are extrajudicial killings and a significant overreach of executive power.
The Trump administration has also been accused of using secret information and signals intelligence from agencies like the CIA and NSA to inform its attacks, without providing clear evidence of the groups' involvement in armed conflict with the US. Critics say this approach is tantamount to "murder" and that the strikes are a form of "make-believe war."
Some experts have questioned whether Cártel de los Soles even exists as a legitimate organization, pointing out that it is not mentioned in a recent State Department report on global anti-drug operations. Others argue that the strikes are an example of a broader authoritarian takeover by Trump, who has ignored court orders and used loyalists to control key agencies.
As concerns grow about the administration's actions, many are urging Congress to take action and hold hearings to investigate the claims and potential wrongdoing. The Intercept is committed to covering this story in-depth and holding those in power accountable for their actions.
However, many experts argue that these claims are unfounded and lack credible evidence. The administration's justification for the strikes relies on a classified opinion produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which has not been made public. Critics claim that this is an attempt to bypass Congress and circumvent its constitutional authority over matters of war and peace.
The Pentagon has admitted to carrying out 17 attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, resulting in the deaths of at least 70 people. However, most of those killed were not high-ranking members of these groups but rather laborers, fishermen, or low-level criminals.
Lawmakers have expressed concern about the lack of transparency and accountability in the administration's actions. The House Armed Services Committee chairman said that the administration's legal justifications are "dubious" and meant to circumvent Congress' authority. Others argue that the strikes are extrajudicial killings and a significant overreach of executive power.
The Trump administration has also been accused of using secret information and signals intelligence from agencies like the CIA and NSA to inform its attacks, without providing clear evidence of the groups' involvement in armed conflict with the US. Critics say this approach is tantamount to "murder" and that the strikes are a form of "make-believe war."
Some experts have questioned whether Cártel de los Soles even exists as a legitimate organization, pointing out that it is not mentioned in a recent State Department report on global anti-drug operations. Others argue that the strikes are an example of a broader authoritarian takeover by Trump, who has ignored court orders and used loyalists to control key agencies.
As concerns grow about the administration's actions, many are urging Congress to take action and hold hearings to investigate the claims and potential wrongdoing. The Intercept is committed to covering this story in-depth and holding those in power accountable for their actions.
this whole thing is a huge red flag, you know? I mean, who gets to decide what's a "designated terrorist group" without putting it out there for everyone to see? It feels like they're trying to create these groups and then just... boom! Problem solved. Meanwhile, the people caught in the crossfire are just collateral damage 
. And let's not forget about the lack of transparency - if you can't trust what they're telling us, how do we even begin to have a conversation about this? It's like, we need some clarity and accountability here before anyone else gets hurt 
.
they're gonna start labeling pizza delivery guys as terrorists too 
seriously though, 70+ people dead & no concrete evidence = major red flag 
" and btw if cártel de los soles isn't even real how did cia & nsa get intel on them? sounds like a case of "we made something up, hope nobody asks questions 
" anyway, congress gotta step in & make sure trump doesn't become a one-man war zone 
I'm getting a bad feeling about this whole thing... It seems like the Trump administration is using these "designated terrorist groups" as an excuse to engage in what looks like covert operations without any real evidence or oversight. 
And the lack of transparency and accountability from the administration is unacceptable.
and what's up w/ the classified opn from DOJ?? seems like trump wanna go around cong on war powers 
but its not just dat, the lack of transparency is CRAZY 
24 orgs labeled as terrorists & we dont even no w/ in? 
, the lack of transparency is super concerning 
. I mean, can we even trust the info they're giving us? It's like, what's the real reason behind these attacks? Is it just to flex muscles or are there actual threats being addressed? 
. Most of them weren't even high-ranking members, just regular folk trying to make a living. It's not right 
. We can't have the president making decisions that are supposedly above his pay grade without being held accountable 
Can we not even trust our own government to be honest with us about their actions? It's like, come on, guys 
.
. And the lack of transparency is crazy – who gets to decide who lives or dies? It feels like the administration is playing both sides, using these groups as an excuse for its own foreign policy agenda 
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. That's just heartbreaking – and doesn't seem like an effective way to combat organized crime or terrorism, if you ask me 
. But do we know for sure that these groups are even involved in armed conflict with the US? Maybe there's more to the story than what's being reported 
. That's a major red flag. But are we really ready to assume the worst about Trump and his admin without giving them a chance to explain themselves? 
. We need more facts before we start calling out people for "murder" or accusing them of an "authoritarian takeover". That's just not fair 
We need transparency and accountability, stat! 
. I don't think we should be doing secret attacks without knowing all the facts 
. It's like, what if they're just innocent fishermen on a boat 
. We need more transparency and accountability 
. The fact that Congress isn't being told about these strikes makes me even more nervous 
. It's like Trump is trying to take over everything 
. It's like we're talking about some kind of shadow war where civilians are collateral damage.
. We need Congress to step in and get to the bottom of this stuff. Maybe it's time for some real oversight 
.
and who knows what else... i mean, come on, congress needs to get a hold of themselves here and do some real investigations instead of just blindly following the prez