Overview

• U.S. Southern Command said the new counter-narcotics Joint Task Force will be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune to coordinate operations across the Western Hemisphere.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the move at President Trump’s direction, saying the mission is to “crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe.”
• Lt. Gen. Calvert Worth said the effort is primarily maritime, leveraging patrols, aerial surveillance, precision interdictions, and intelligence sharing with U.S. and partner agencies.
• The administration cites four strikes on suspected drug boats in recent weeks with 21 deaths reported, while declining to detail the intelligence, munitions, or platforms involved.
• A Pentagon notice to Congress described a non-international armed conflict with cartels, Democratic lawmakers and legal experts are questioning the legal basis, and it remains unclear whether the task force carries new authorities as the White House considers possible land options in Venezuela.