Hegseth blasts ‘narco-terrorists’ targeted by Trump admin as ‘the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere’
In a bold assertion made during his recent visit to Malaysia, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has drawn a striking parallel between drug cartels operating in Latin America and notorious terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and ISIS. Hegseth’s comments come amid a series of U.S. military strikes targeting vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, which he describes as a necessary response to what he terms “narco-terrorists.” He emphasized that these cartels use violence and terror to impose their will and threaten U.S. national security, likening their operations to those of extremist groups that have wreaked havoc around the globe. “The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda,” he declared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on October 19, reinforcing the Trump administration’s aggressive stance against drug trafficking.
The rhetoric employed by Hegseth and President Donald Trump has intensified in recent weeks, with Trump himself labeling the cartels as the “ISIS of the Western Hemisphere” during a speech on October 23. This comparison underscores the administration’s commitment to a controversial policy that seeks to combat drug trafficking through military engagement, a strategy that has resulted in numerous strikes and significant casualties. Critics of this approach, including figures like Senator Rand Paul, have raised concerns about the implications of treating drug cartels as terrorist organizations, suggesting that such a stance could lead to excessive use of military force and ethical dilemmas regarding the execution of cartel members. As the U.S. continues to navigate its role in the Indo-Pacific region and its efforts to combat drug-related violence, the conversation surrounding the classification of cartels as terrorists is likely to remain a contentious issue, raising questions about national security, foreign policy, and the moral implications of military intervention.
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As the U.S. continues conducting deadly strikes against vessels it claims are involved in drug trafficking, Secretary of War
Pete Hegseth
again described the “narco-terrorists” the U.S. has been targeting as “the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere.”
Hegseth’s comments, which he made in Malaysia, repeated the point he has previously made as the Trump administration stands staunchly behind its controversial policy.
HEGSETH, IN TALKS WITH CHINESE COUNTERPART, SAYS US WILL ‘STOUTLY DEFEND’ INTERESTS IN INDO-PACIFIC
“These cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison our people. The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda,” Hegseth
asserted
in an Oct. 19 post on X when discussing one of the strikes.
Dozens have been killed over the course of the Trump administration’s many
strikes
.
HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS
President
Donald Trump
and Hegseth both likened the cartels to ISIS during comments last week.
“It should now be clear to the entire world that the cartels are the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere,” the commander in chief said on October 23.
RAND PAUL RIPS JD VANCE’S ASSERTION THAT EXECUTING CARTEL MEMBERS IS THE ‘BEST USE OF OUR MILITARY’
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Hegseth underscored the point.
“Well, as the president said, this is the ISIS, this is the al Qaeda, of the Western Hemisphere,” he noted.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
