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The administration launched a boat-bombing campaign to target alleged narcoterrorists in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

The administration has conducted dozens of military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 227 people it labels as "narcoterrorists." This campaign, which began in September 2025, uses military force to target vessels as facilities and lawful military targets, allowing for casualties as non-lethal options are often not possible. While the administration claims these strikes are necessary to stop drugs from reaching American shores, critics argue the campaign lacks transparency and may result in extrajudicial killings. Several families of victims, such as those of Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza and Trinidadian nationals Chad Joseph and Rishi Somaroo, have filed legal challenges alleging the strikes violated international and domestic law. These families often maintain that their loved ones were honest fishermen rather than active drug smugglers. To address these concerns, the administration is pursuing agreements with regional allies like Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama to conduct joint operations. Military leaders have acknowledged that while kinetic strikes are a useful tool, they are not the only method for disrupting cartel networks. The administration continues to pursue these strikes as a primary method to defend the homeland and protect communities from illicit narcotics.

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