A draft bill quietly circulating in Washington would give President Trump unprecedented power to wage war anywhere in the world — as long as he claims the target is connected to drug trafficking.

The proposed legislation would let Trump:

• Unilaterally declare any group a “narco-terrorist”
• Authorize military strikes in foreign countries without naming enemies or geographic limits
• Override due process by allowing lethal force against civilians suspected — not convicted — of trafficking.
   

This is not how you fight crime. It’s how you start endless wars.

Under current law, drug smuggling is treated as a criminal matter — enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement. But under this draft proposal, Trump could bypass Congress and direct the military to kill first, justify later, even in nations like Venezuela, Colombia, or Mexico.

This legislation would:

• Undermine the War Powers Resolution, which limits unauthorized military force
• Blur the line between military operations and law enforcement
• Set the stage for open-ended conflicts with no congressional accountability
• Risk civilian casualties and violations of international law
   

We’ve been here before. The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) created a “forever war” with no end in sight. This new bill would do the same — only now the targets are criminal suspects, not battlefield enemies.

We call on the U.S. Congress — especially the House and Senate Armed Services Committees — to reject this draft legislation immediately.

We also call on President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to stop treating law enforcement problems as war-making opportunities.

America needs smart, strategic policies to fight drug trafficking — not a blank check for global military action.