 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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The US military's new task force to 'crush' drug cartels in the Caribbean |
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Defense Department is forming a new counternarcotics joint task force in order to "crush" drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea. |
© Daniel Gonzalez/Anadolu via Getty Images |
Hegseth said the new task force, established at the direction of President Trump, will operate in the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom) area of responsibility. "At the President's direction, the Department of War is establishing a new counter-narcotics Joint Task Force in the @SOUTHCOM area of responsibility to crush the cartels, stop the poison and keep America safe," Hegseth said in a post on the social platform X. "The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold," he added. The formation of the task force comes as the Trump administration has launched four strikes against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea in recent weeks. The strikes have killed 21 in total, according to the administration. The most recent strike, which occurred earlier this month, blew up the vessel — purportedly carrying narcotics in international waters — and killed four people, Hegseth said at the time. Trump has railed against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing the leader of overseeing a massive influx of illegal drugs into the U.S. The president notified Congress last week that the U.S. is now at war with drug cartels that the administration has designated as terrorist organizations, offering legal rationale for strikes against vessels in the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela. The first strike took place in early September. Democrats have hammered the administration over the strikes, deeming them illegal. Read the full report at thehill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
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The Senate approved its massive annual defense policy bill late Thursday as the U.S. government remains shut down.
The GOP-led chamber approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 70-20, aiming to fund the U.S. military at $924.7 billion in fiscal 2026. The vote came after lawmakers reached a deal earlier in the day to unlock the stalled legislation ... |
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Friday announcement that the U.S. will host a new Qatari air force facility in Idaho has drawn the ire of the Trump administration's closest allies, including Laura Loomer, who said she felt "betrayed" over the matter. In a flurry of social media posts Friday afternoon, Loomer unleashed on the administration's announcement that it had signed the letter greenlighting the building of a Qatar Emiri … |
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Nearly half the roughly 2,450 National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., amid President Trump’s crackdown on crime are reportedly set to leave the city later this fall. Authorities in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia — which have sent a combined 1,131 troops to contribute to Trump's federal law enforcement initiative — have set target dates for their withdrawal in late October and … |
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the U.S. will host a new Qatari air force facility in Idaho, where pilots will train to fly F-15s. Hegseth said the Trump administration has signed the letter greenlighting the building of a Qatar Emiri air force contingent at the Mountain Home Air Force Base located in southwestern Idaho. Qatar Emiri air force is the air arm of Qatar's armed forces. "Location will … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will deliver remarks at the Association of the United States Army's 2025 Annual Meeting Symposium and Exposition at 9:30 a.m. Monday.
- Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies Middle East will have a discussion covering "Syria Sanctions at a Crossroads" on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Troops request assistance at 'unprecedented' rate as shutdown persists (Military Times)
- 'My secret informant love': Ex-Army officer leaked Russia-Ukraine war secrets on dating site (mlive.com)
- Blast at a Tennessee explosives plant leaves 19 people missing and feared dead, sheriff says (The Associated Press)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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The crypto market is ripe for a rug pull, with insiders profiting from the inflated valuations of meme coins, crypto treasury stocks, and other scams, … Read more |
| Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.) said Thursday that Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was likely to lose a chance at another term as House Speaker over … Read more |
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Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you next week! |
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