U.S. troops not liable in boat strikes, classified Justice Dept. memo says [View all]
Source: Washington Post
November 12, 2025 at 11:24 a.m. EST
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) stated in a classified opinion drawn up in the summer that personnel taking part in military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in Latin America would not be exposed to future prosecution, according to four people familiar with the matter.
The decision to pursue an opinion, drafted in July, reflects the heightened concerns within the government raised by senior civilian and military lawyers that such strikes would be illegal.
The strikes, now totaling 19, with a death toll of 76, began in September, though interagency discussions regarding the use of lethal force to combat drug cartels started early in the Trump administration.
Top officers, including Adm. Alvin Holsey, the head of Southern Command, sought caution on such strikes, according to two people, who like several others interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/12/trump-drug-boat-venezuela-legal/
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I expect Kegsbreath will have a meltdown.
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