On December 15, 2025, the U.S. military confirmed it had carried out a series of strikes on three boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals accused of smuggling drugs. The operations, which have intensified in recent months, are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to curb the flow of illicit narcotics into the United States, particularly fentanyl—a synthetic opioid that has wreaked havoc across American communities.
According to the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the strikes during a public appearance at the White House, underscoring the administration’s commitment to tackling the drug crisis at its source. The strikes, which have drawn increasing scrutiny from Congress, are just the latest in a string of military actions targeting what officials describe as narco-terrorists operating throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Since early September 2025, the Trump administration has launched more than 20 strikes across the region, focusing on traffickers moving illicit drugs toward the U.S. southern border. The Pentagon reported that earlier in December, four traffickers were killed aboard a vessel in the eastern Pacific that was allegedly operated by a designated terrorist organization. These actions, according to administration supporters, deliver immediate relief to American communities long plagued by the devastating impact of the drug trade.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a vocal proponent of the strikes and a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, offered a staunch defense of the administration’s approach. In an opinion piece, Marshall argued that, “For too long, the fate of Americans’ security, health and well-being was outsourced to the aspirations of transnational criminal organizations.” He went on to blame previous administrations, particularly citing the Biden administration’s border policies, for enabling drug cartels to flourish and for fueling a crisis that has led to rising rates of addiction and overdose.
The numbers are staggering. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that during the 2024 fiscal year, more than 21,000 pounds of fentanyl were smuggled into the United States—an amount, Marshall pointed out, “large enough to eradicate the entire American population 14 times over.” The toll on American lives has been catastrophic. Fentanyl overdoses have killed a total number of Americans comparable to the cumulative U.S. death toll of World War II, a sobering statistic that underscores the urgency of the current offensive.
Marshall’s critique extends to those who question the legitimacy or morality of the strikes. “Mr. Trump’s critics have decided that their hatred of him was greater than their desire to keep Americans safe,” he wrote. “They chose to question the legitimacy of these strikes rather than celebrate their immediate and deterrent benefits for the American people.” Marshall also drew a comparison to the Obama administration’s use of drone strikes against suspected terrorists, suggesting that outrage over the current tactics is selective and politically motivated.
Indeed, the debate in Congress has grown increasingly heated as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle weigh the costs and benefits of military action against drug traffickers. Some have raised concerns about the potential for civilian casualties, the legal justification for strikes outside of declared war zones, and the risk of escalating violence in the region. Others, however, echo Marshall’s assessment that the nation is at a tipping point and that strong, decisive action is required to stem the tide of narcotics flowing into the country.
The public, for its part, appears to back the administration’s approach. According to the 2025 Reagan National Defense Survey, 62% of Americans support the use of military force against suspected drug traffickers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This broad support reflects a deep-seated frustration with the ongoing opioid crisis and a desire for more assertive measures to protect communities from the ravages of addiction.
The scale of the crisis is difficult to overstate. Marshall noted that opioid-related deaths increased nearly tenfold from 1999 to 2023, and while some declines in overdose deaths were observed over the past year, the problem remains acute. In 2023, Marshall and 21 other state attorneys general wrote to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging swift action to combat drug overdoses. At the time, more than 100,000 Americans had died from overdoses in the previous six years, with some 66% of those deaths attributed to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
There are signs that the Trump administration’s strategy may be having an impact. By September 2025, approximately 55% less fentanyl was seized at the border compared with the same period in the previous year, suggesting that efforts to interdict drug shipments before they reach U.S. soil are bearing fruit. Targeting drug boats, in particular, has further reduced the amount of illegal narcotics making their way to the southern border.
Still, the challenge is far from over. As Marshall observed, “Sustained action is imperative to significantly turn the tide.” He warned that any attempt by Washington politicians to obstruct the administration’s efforts could undo the progress made thus far. “It’s not just the would-be drug users who would suffer,” Marshall cautioned. “Profiteering cartels cripple public health infrastructure as those hooked on drugs seek expensive medical interventions. The overall well-being of communities unravels as needles line streets, addicts overdose on sidewalks, and violence threatens law-abiding citizens.”
The strain on state and local resources is palpable, particularly in the South, where law enforcement and health care systems are stretched thin by the demands of the drug crisis. Increased instability and drug running divert attention and resources from other pressing needs, leaving communities vulnerable to a host of social and economic challenges.
As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the fight against drug trafficking and opioid addiction is likely to remain at the forefront of American politics for the foreseeable future. The Trump administration’s military strikes in the Pacific mark a dramatic escalation in the nation’s ongoing war on drugs, and their effectiveness—and legitimacy—will no doubt be fiercely contested in the months ahead.
The stakes could hardly be higher. With tens of thousands of American lives lost to fentanyl and other opioids, and countless families and communities left shattered in the wake of addiction, the question of how best to confront the crisis is both urgent and deeply personal. For now, the administration’s message is one of resolve: decisive action, not hesitation, is the order of the day.
