Trump orders Pentagon to fight drug cartels: Report

President Donald Trump has reportedly signed an order directing the Department of Defense to use the military to fight Latin American drug cartels, the New York Times reported, citing "people familiar with the matter."

The move marks a dramatic escalation of the war on drugs as the administration has also placed a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, dubbing him the de facto leader of one of the most prominent trafficking operations.

"He is one of the largest narcotic traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security, therefore, we've doubled his reward to $50 million," Attorney General Pam Bondi said. "Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice, and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes."

During the campaign, Trump openly discussed the prospect of attacking the drug cartels, a position the Mexican government has opposed. The scope of the current directive remains unclear and the U.S. has yet to announce any direct strikes on cartel personnel in foreign countries.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.