Trump Claims Power to Kill Suspected Drug Smugglers

[applegrove]

Trump Claims Power to Kill Suspected Drug Smugglers

September 4, 2025 at 3:37 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 1 Comment

https://politicalwire.com/2025/09/04/trump-claims-power-to-kill-suspected-drug-smugglers/

“By ordering the U.S. military to summarily kill a group of people aboard what he said was a drug-smuggling boat, President Trump used the military in a way that had no clear legal precedent or basis,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Trump is claiming the power to shift maritime counterdrug efforts from law enforcement rules to wartime rules. The police arrest criminal suspects for prosecution and cannot instead simply gun suspects down, except in rare circumstances where they pose an imminent threat to someone.”

“By contrast, in armed conflicts, troops can lawfully kill enemy combatants on sight.”

“Because killing people is so extreme — and doing it without due process risks killing the wrong people by mistake — the question of which rules apply is not simply a matter of policy choice.”

[lapfog_1]

1. even in war there are rules

to kill on sight.

First you have to be sure what you are looking at either by uniform or other insignia or by intention of the combatants. Operating a boat ( a small boat at that ) in international water, which did not appear to be shooting at anyone or even having any kind of weapon to shoot at someone is completely insufficient to order the killing of the people on board. The Navy commander that ordered this will need to stand trial for either murder or a war crime ( although there is no declared "war" here ).

[Bread and Circuses]

2. Dictatorship is here

[RT Atlanta]

3. those could be construed as the broad powers the S.Ct. gave the office

I don't like it one bit, but as 'they' keep saying, who's going to stop him? not the 'republican' bootlickers that surround the guy.

[Prairie Gates]

4. It hardly bears mentioning that this is completely insane

And that the New York Times should be far more upfront about telling its readers that this is both radically illegal and profoundly evil.

[riversedge]

8. I sincerely AGREE: The nyt is leadin folks to believe that Trump does indeed have the power to KILL.

Not all folks will believe this insanity but enough will believe--and Trump will continue on his merry way!!

[Blues Heron]

5. Trump is a murderous psychopath, he will not stop killing, this only whets his appetite for blood

The next incident will be worse probably

[EarlG]

6. I'll just drop this here...

On March 11, 2025, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the Philippine National Police and Interpol in Operation Pursuit under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant charging him with crimes against humanity related to the Philippine drug war. Duterte arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila on March 11 after attending a political rally in Hong Kong. Once the warrant was executed, he was held in custody at the nearby Villamor Air Base and then transferred to the Netherlands, where he is expected to face trial in The Hague. The operation was largely planned by police general Nicolas Torre.

Duterte was indicted on charges of crimes against humanity, which include extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Mayor of Davao City and as President of the Philippines, until the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest_of_Rodrigo_Duterte

[applegrove]

7. Thanks Earl. Trump should take that into consideration.

Last edited Thu Sep 4, 2025, 08:23 PM - Edit history (1)

[IcyPeas]

9. He could shoot someone on 5th Avenue... /nt