The Trump administration’s escalating campaign against suspected drug runners has hit a snag. Two survivors of an American military strike on a semi-submersible vessel suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea have been rescued and are being held aboard a Navy ship. The US is now facing a dilemma about how to proceed, with options including releasing the survivors, claiming they can be held as indefinite wartime detainees, or transferring them to civilian law enforcement officials for prosecution.
The US military has attacked at least six vessels in the region since early September, killing 27 people so far. However, two of the latest strikes resulted in survivors being rescued and taken into custody. The Trump administration’s claim that the attacks are part of a formal “armed conflict” with drug cartels is facing legal scrutiny.
The detention of the survivors raises questions about how long they can be held as wartime detainees and whether to release them or transfer them to civilian authorities. The US has already established the jurisdiction of federal courts in cases involving terrorism detainees, which could lead to lawsuits challenging the basis of holding prisoners at Guantánamo Bay.
This development highlights the complexity of the Trump administration’s campaign against drug cartels, with potential implications for its legitimacy and the rule of law.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/us/politics/us-military-strike-survivors.html