Senate Armed Services Dems ask Bondi, Hegseth to declassify Justice Dept memo on drug boat strikes

Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday to declassify a Justice Department memo on the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug boats.

The classified opinion, which was written by the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel and dated Sept. 5, allegedly provides the legal basis for military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, according to The Hill.

The letter, signed by 13 Senate Democrats and led by Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, notes that precedent exists for declassifying the opinion and said redactions to protect military personnel and sensitive intelligence matters can remain.

"Few decisions are more consequential for a democracy than the use of lethal force," the senators wrote. "We therefore believe that the declassification and public release of this important document would enhance transparency in the use of deadly force by our Nation’s military and is necessary to ensure Congress and the American people are fully informed of the legal justification supporting these strikes."

Blumenthal said in a post on X that he read the classified opinion last week and felt “disappointed & dissatisfied with the supposed legal justification for attacks.”

The letter comes as the Trump administration launched 21 strikes so far on alleged drug boats in international waters in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which have killed at least 83 alleged “narco-terrorists.” 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.