TRUMP: ‘WE HAVE PROOF’: President Donald Trump is making no apologies for authorizing the execution of three suspected drug smugglers by sending them and their boat to a watery grave in the Caribbean after an airstrike carried out Monday by the U.S. military. It was the second such strike on suspected Venezuelan drug runners in two weeks, and comes as Trump is threatening to expand his war on drug cartels to their sanctuaries on land.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he relied on conclusive intelligence to determine the targeted boat was laden with drugs. “We’re very careful. The military has been amazing,” Trump said. “We have recorded proof and evidence. We know what time they were leaving, when they were leaving, what they had, and all of the other things that you’d like to have.”
“We have proof. All you have to do is look at the cargo that was like, it spattered all over the ocean. Big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place,” he said.
In a Truth Social post announcing the strike, Trump said the targeted vessel was carrying “positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists,” who he said, “POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests.”
Noting that the U.S. strikes have scared fishermen from plying the waters off the coast of Venezuela, Trump said he’s considering targeting the Tren de Aragua cartel strongholds on land. “Now there are no boats. I wonder why? Meaning no drugs are coming across. Probably stopping some fishermen, too. I mean, to be honest, if I were a fisherman, I wouldn’t want to go fishing,” Trump said. We’re telling the cartels right now we’re going to be stopping them, too, when they come by land. We’re going to be stopping them the same way we stopped the boats.”
MILITARY STRIKES SECOND DRUG SHIP HEADED TO US, KILLING THREE ‘TERRORISTS,’ TRUMP SAYS
REED: ‘AN OUTRAGEOUS VIOLATION OF THE LAW’: The strike, which legal experts say amounts to “extrajudicial executions,” drew a quick and vociferous condemnation from Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee.
“President Trump’s actions are an outrageous violation of the law and a dangerous assault on our Constitution. No president can secretly wage war or carry out unjustified killings – that is authoritarianism, not democracy,” Reed said in a statement released last night. “These reckless, unauthorized operations not only put American lives at risk, they threaten to ignite a war with Venezuela that would drag our nation into a conflict we did not choose.”
“Our armed forces are not law enforcement agencies. They are not empowered to hunt down suspected criminals and kill them without trial, Reed said last week in a speech on the Senate floor, arguing that “the mere designation of a cartel as a ‘foreign terrorist organization’ does not confer any new authority to use military force.”
Reed also argued that Trump’s unilateral actions — for which he claims authority under Article II of the Constitution naming him commander in chief of the military — violate the separation of powers that gives Congress the sole authority to declare war.
“We are on a path toward a shooting war with a foreign nation, a war that no one in this chamber has authorized and that the American people have not been consulted about,” Reed said. “We cannot allow the United States to slide into another mindless conflict. We cannot risk the lives of American servicemembers based on secret orders and dubious legal theories.”
RUBIO: MADURO IS ‘NOT THE PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA’: In an interview on Fox News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Trump’s orders. “The president of the United States made clear that he’s not going to allow cartels, that cartel or any other cartel, to operate with impunity in our hemisphere and send drugs towards the United States. And he’s going to use the U.S. military and all the elements of American power to target cartels who are targeting America.”
“Fifty-something countries around the world do not recognize Nicolas Maduro as the rightful president. He’s not the president of Venezuela. That’s a title he’s given himself,” Rubio said. “What he is, is someone who’s empowered himself with some of the instruments of government and are using that to operate a drug cartel from Venezuelan territory, much of that drugs aimed at reaching the United States.”
“He’s indicted. He’s a fugitive of American justice. There’s a reward out for his capture,” he said. “So we’re not going to have a cartel, operating or masquerading as a government, operating in our own hemisphere.”
US ADDS COLOMBIA TO LIST OF NATIONS FAILING TO COOPERATE IN DRUG WAR FOR FIRST TIME IN DECADES
Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: President Donald Trump departs for London this morning, along with first lady Melania Trump, for two days of pomp and royal pageantry designed to show how much the United Kingdom values its “special relationship” with the United States. He’s scheduled to arrive in the U.K. around 8:30 p.m. London time.
Trump will be toasted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle tomorrow, and then meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday at Chequers, the British leader’s rural retreat.
“The trip to U.K. is going to be incredible. They’ve never done it before. Twice honored. And that’s because we had nonconsecutive terms,” Trump told reporters Sunday, clearly pleased by the effort being extended to wow him with royal spender. “Windsor is supposed to be amazing. They’ve never used Windsor. They’ve never had Windsor for this. And they’re going to be doing Windsor Castle. It’s going to be very exciting.”
ROYALS ROLL OUT RED CARPET FOR TRUMP’S SECOND UK STATE VISIT: WHAT TO EXPECT
ALSO TODAY: KASH ON THE HILL: FBI Director Kash Patel is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9 a.m.
In an interview on Fox News, Patel said Tyler Robinson, arrested and charged with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, “subscribed to left-wing ideology,” according to family members and text messages reviewed by the FBI.
“My job as FBI director is not to speak to motive. It’s to speak to the facts. And that’s what I’m going to do,” he told Fox’s Brian Kilmeade. “I believe in this instance of such public importance, the public has a right to know. And I’ve told you I’m committed to transparency, and that’s what I’m doing here today.”
Patel will face questions from Democrats about his premature declaration online that “the subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody,” as well as his purge of senior executives, and his shift of the FBI’s priority from counterterrorism and corruption to immigration enforcement and street crime.
CLICK HERE FOR THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER’S LIVE COVERAGE OF KASH PATEL’S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
RUBIO: ‘WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING VISAS TO PEOPLE WHO CELEBRATE MURDER’: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that any visitors to the United States who publicly cheer or celebrate Kirk’s murder will soon find themselves persona non grata and their visa revoked.
“A visa means you’re a visitor. You’re a visitor to the United States. We are not in the business of inviting people to visit our country who are going to be involved in negative and destructive behavior,” Rubio told Fox News Correspondent Gillian Turner. “We shouldn’t be bringing people into this country — we should not be giving visas to people — who are going to come to the United States and do things like celebrate the murder, the execution, the assassination, of a political figure. We should not — and if they’re already here, we should be revoking their visa.”
RUBIO SAYS US WILL REVOKE VISAS OF THOSE WHO CELEBRATED CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION
TRUMP: ‘I WOULD DO THAT 100%’: As part of his promised campaign against “radical left lunatics,” President Trump said he would be inclined to designate antifa as a domestic terror group, even though some argue that antifa is more of a movement than an organized group with a leadership structure.
“Well, it’s something I would do, yeah. If I have support from the people back here,” Trump said, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I would do that 100%. And others also, by the way. But antifa is terrible.”
“We have some pretty radical groups. And they got away with murder,” Trump said, repeating his pledge to go after what he has called “radical far-left lunatics” in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder. “Also I’ve been speaking to the attorney general about bringing RICO against some of the people that you’ve been reading about that have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation.”
Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who last month said on Fox that “The Democrat Party is not a political party. It is a domestic extremist organization,” said antifa is just one of the groups in Trump’s crosshairs.
“Whether you’re antifa, whether you’re a domestic terrorist, whether you are a violent gang member, a drug-trafficker, a Tren de Aragua killer, or anyone else that’s threatening our people, President Trump is saying he’s going to use his FBI, his DoD, his ATF, his DEA to wipe you out, to put you behind bars, to take you off the street, or to apply whatever legal consequence is necessary,” Miller said.
HOW THE ANTIFA MOVEMENT HAS METASTASIZED
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Military strikes second drug ship headed to US, killing three ‘terrorists,’ Trump says
Washington Examiner: US adds Colombia to list of nations failing to cooperate in drug war for first time in decades
Washington Examiner: Russia has given military training to around 20% of deported Ukrainian children
Washington Examiner: The Ukraine war accelerates the international drone arms race
Washington Examiner: Rubio argues UK recognizing Palestinian statehood ‘will make no impact’
Washington Examiner: South Korea reviewing possible human rights abuses in US raid at Hyundai plant
Washington Examiner: Taiwan leaders flaunt de facto sovereignty as Kuomintang warns rhetoric will provoke Chinese invasion
Washington Examiner: Trump sends federal police to battle crime in Memphis at request of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
Washington Examiner: The concern over Charlie Kirk copycat assassins
Washington Examiner: Rubio says US will revoke visas of those who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s assassination
Washington Examiner: Trump open to designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization: ‘Something I would do’
Washington Examiner: Colorado Springs looks to rebound after Trump pulls Space Command to Huntsville
AP: Israel’s military says its expanded operation in Gaza City has begun and warns residents to leave
New York Times: Surprising Guests at Belarus-Russia War Games: Two American Observers
AP: Russia’s drones in Poland raised NATO concerns. Now its war games in Belarus add to tensions
AP: US Army Reveals Typhon Missile System in Japan as Tensions Rise with China
Bloomberg: Aging US Nuclear Missiles Could Be Extended Until 2050, Air Force Says
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Shave or Separate: New Pentagon Policy Limits Medical Waivers to 12 Months
Defense One: This Ukrainian Startup Has Reinvented Drone Swarming
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One
Breaking Defense: DOD Envisions Prize Competition for Boost-Phase SBI Prototypes
DefenseScoop: Transparency Is Key as AI Gets Smarter, Experts Say
Task & Purpose: A-10 Combat Pilot Prepares for 378-Day NASA Mars Simulation
The War Zone: Last Special Operations MC-12W Surveillance Planes Retired
THE CALENDAR:
TUESDAY | SEPTEMBER 16
9 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” with testimony from FBI Director Kash Patel http://judiciary.senate.gov
9 a.m. — Brookings Institution Center for Asia Policy Studies virtual discussion: “China Influence in the Pacific Islands: Overstatement or Underestimation,” with Kathryn Paik, deputy director, senior fellow and Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Patricia Kim, fellow at the Brookings Foreign Policy Program, the Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies and the Brookings China Center; Joanne Wallis, nonresident senior fellow in the Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies; and Mireya Solis, director, Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies, senior fellow at the Brookings Foreign Policy Program, Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies and Brookings chair in Japan studies https://www.brookings.edu/events/chinas-influence-in-the-pacific-islands
10 a.m. 14th and F Sts. NW — National Press Club Newsmaker Program on “Congressional efforts to take control of D.C., deployment of National Guard members and how these recent events connect to the fight for D.C. statehood,” with D.C. Shadow Senator Ankit Jain; and D.C. City Councilmember Christina Henderson https://www.press.org/events/npc-headliners
11 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: “A U.N. Without the U.S.,” with former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Allison Lombardo, nonresident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Colum Lynch, Devex senior global reporter; Stewart Patrick, director, CEIP Global Order and Institutions Program; and Minh-Thu Pham, nonresident scholar at the CEIP Global Order and Institutions Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025
12 p.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: “Efforts to secure the release of multiple hostages and detained Americans overseas,” with State Department Special Envoy for U.S. Hostage Response Adam Boehler https://www.cnas.org/events/virtual-event-fireside-chat
12 p.m. — Jewish Policy Center virtual discussion: “Fighting China – We Are Not in a Good Place” https://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/2025/09/12/upcoming-webinar
1 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Hybrid Warfare and CCP Infiltration: A Shared Challenge for US-Taiwan Security Cooperation,” with Sang Pu, founder and president of the Taiwan Hong Kong Association; K.J. Hsu, Taipei district court judge; and Miles Yu, director, Hudson Institute China Center https://www.hudson.org/events/hybrid-warfare-ccp
2 p.m. HVC-210 U.S. Capitol — House Oversight and Government Reform Government Operations Subcommittee hearing: “A One Year Update on DoD Struggling Background Check System” http://oversight.house.gov
7:15 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “The future of a dedicated Cyber Force,” with retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Erica Lonergan, assistant professor of international and public affairs, Columbia University; and Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post national security reporter https://www.csis.org/events/launch-commission-us-cyber-force-generation
WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 17
10 a.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” http://judiciary.house.gov
12 p.m. — Economic Club of Washington, D.C. discussion with Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman Contact: [email protected]
2 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “U.S.-India Relations and the Defense COMPACT,” with Vikram Singh, senior adviser for defense and aerospace at the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum; Anthony Renzulli, associate partner at the Albright Stonebridge Group; Sameer Lalwani, nonresident senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; and Ingrid Henick, vice president of the Cohen Group https://www.hudson.org/events/motwani-jadeja-us-india-dialogue
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 25
9:30 a.m. 123 West 43rd St., New York, New York — Atlantic Festival Ideas Sessions with former Vice President Mike Pence; retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser; Jennifer Doudna, founder, Innovative Genomics Institute and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry; Mark Cuban, business mogul and entrepreneur; and Kamau Bell, writer, director, and comedian; Ayad Akhtar, playwright “McNeal”; Robert Downey Jr., actor, writer, and producer; David Letterman, talk show host, comedian, and producer; and Richard Ayoade, comedian and actor; Ken Burns, director and producer; and Tom Hanks, actor, writer, producer, and director https://www.theatlantic.com/theatlanticfestival/
11 a.m. — Arms Control Association annual meeting, hosted at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif; former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification Mallory Stewart; Senior International/Defense Researcher at RAND Kingston Reif; and Fifth General Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation Bridget Moix https://www.armscontrol.org/2025AnnualMeeting
12 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Sigur Center for Asian Studies discussion: “Taiwan Great Recall Revisited: Domestic and Foreign Policy Implications,” with Wei-Ting Yen, assistant research fellow at the Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinca; You-Hao Lai, researcher, practicing lawyer and think tank fellow specializing in digital rights and democratic governance; Raymond Kuo, director of RAND Taiwan Policy Initiative and RAND senior political scientist; and Richard Haddock, assistant director of GWU Sigur Center for Asian Studies https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/taiwan-roundtable-taiwans
FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 19
9 a.m. 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Maryland — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and Intelligence and National Security Alliance the 2025 Intelligence and National Security Summit, with Lt. Gen. Jerry Carter, deputy commandant for information at the Marine Corps; Steven Parode, deputy director of naval intelligence at the Navy; and Maj. Gen. Brian Sidari, deputy chief of space operations for intelligence at the Space Force, Pamela Byron, deputy assistant director, FBI Counterterrorism Division; and Kelton Jago, deputy director, National Counterterrorism Center; Kenneth McNeill, CIO of the National Guard Bureau; Taushiana Bright, section chief of the FBI Cyber Division; and Jermaine Roebuck, associate director for threat hunting at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency https://intelsummit.org/
9:30 a.m. 251 Fulton St., New York, New York — Atlantic Festival Ideas Session with Tekedra Mawakana, CEO of Waymo; and Arvind Krishna, chair and CEO of IBM, Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings and editor at large for Oprah Daily; and Julianne Moore, actress and author; Monica Lewinsky, activist and podcast host of “Reclaiming With Monica Lewinsky” https://www.theatlantic.com/theatlanticfestival/
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Nuclear Priorities for Trump 2.0,” with Matthew Kroenig, senior director, Atlantic Council Center for Strategy and Security https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/nuclear-priorities-for-trump-2-0
