International leaders, media and even Republicans react to Trump’s boat attacks in the Caribbean Sea
Trump’s policy of carrying out strikes against boats in the Caribbean that are allegedly transporting drugs is drawing rebuke and questions of its legality.
The US military carried out a seventh strike on a boat in the Caribbean allegedly transporting illegal drugs on Friday. After that attack, the death toll from Trump’s counter-narcotics operation has risen to at least 32 according to officials.
The president claims that it is targeting “narco-terrorists” smuggling fentanyl, “a deadly weapon poisoning Americans” as well as other illegal narcotics bound for the United States. But experts say that fentanyl mainly comes across the Mexico-US border and have also called into doubt the final destination of the drugs, if any were aboard.
Trump receives blowback from strikes on “narcoboats”
The lack of transparency of who was on the boats that have been attacked and evidence to prove that they really were carrying narcotics and traffickers has drawn rebuke of the policy. One of the most outspoken Republicans on the matter, Senator Rand Paul has questioned the legality, and the wisdom, of the policy.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, he said that “there is no fentanyl made in Venezuela. Not just a little bit, there’s none being made.” He also found the idea that the boats were heading to the United States to be outlandish, pointing out the incredible distance they would have to cover and logistics of such a journey.
Paul reminding Morgan that “drug trafficking has always been treated as a criminal activity… an anti-crimes sort of activity, where we don’t just summarily execute people. We actually present evidence and convict them.”
Rand Paul: There is no fentanyl made in Venezuela. Not just a little bit, there's none being made... These are outboard boats that, in order for them to get to Miami, would have to stop and refuel 20 times... We don't just summarily execute people. pic.twitter.com/mEAoWMr65O
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) October 21, 2025
“When you kill someone, you should know, if you’re not at war, not in a declared war, you really need to know someone’s name at least,” Paul told ‘Meet the Press’ host Kristen Welker on Sunday. He also pointed out that one in four boats the Coast Guard stops on suspicion of carrying drugs, none are found onboard.
Foreign leaders condemn Trump strikes in the Caribbean
The strike on Friday drew condemnation from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who said the strike killed a fisherman. His comments prompted Trump to suspend aid to Colombia and called Petro an “illegal drug leader.”
Family members of people killed in other strikes off the coast of Venezuela, whose President Nicolas Maduro has also condemned the attacks, didn’t deny that they might have been transporting drugs but told The Washington Post that they weren’t part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but simply fishermen “looking for a better life.”
International and US officials told the newspaper that the route the destroyed vessels were taking isn’t ordinarily used to bring drugs to the United States, being too far to the East. Typically, the drugs are taken to Trinidad and Tobago and then shipped on to Europe and West Africa.
Furthermore, the illicit drug cargos are mainly comprised of marijuana and to a much lesser degree cocaine according to a Trinidad criminologist.
The government has killed 32 people in 7 strikes with no evidence they were traffickers. The admiral leading the mission quit. If we had proof, they’d face a court, not a drone.
— Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) October 21, 2025
The law still applies, even to suspected drug traffickers, and right now, the Administration’s story… pic.twitter.com/uzn0IW9MD9
US admiral overseeing Trump’s counter-narcotics operation resigns
In a highly unusual move, Admiral Alvin Holsey, whose Southern Command is overseeing the operation, and a massive US military buildup in the region, reportedly decided to step down from his post early over disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the policy.
Roughly 10,000 US troops have been deployed to the Caribbean, mainly to Puerto Rico, as well as dozens of military aircraft, eight Navy ships and one nuclear submarine as part of the operation. The US flew three B-52H bombers over the waters just 90 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
Many are questioning if this is really for the effort to fight narco-terrorists or more about regime change in Venezuela.
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