Why the U.S. military is striking boats from Venezuela

President Donald Trump recently celebrated the destruction of a boat that was allegedly carrying illegal narcotics from Venezuela to the United States. The 11 people on board were killed, according to the White House. Trump released a video on social media showing the boat going up in flames, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that more attacks like this could be coming.

Members of Congress have yet to gain more details or evidence into the unusual strike, which did not follow typical maritime protocols. The administration has claimed those on board were “narco-terrorists” and members of the criminal group Tren de Aragua, while Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro has called in thousands of reservists over concerns that this could be the opening shot in a broader conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela.

These and other developments, including a rebranding of the Department of Defense and a visit by Pete Hegseth to Puerto Rico, have many wondering: Have we entered a new era in the nearly quarter-century war on terror?

Today, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national security reporter Tara Copp about the details of the attack and how Trump is making it a military priority to go after drug cartels.

Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Lucas Trevor. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Andy deGrandpre.

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