The New York City Bar Association has issued an extraordinary statement accusing President Donald Trump of authorizing what it calls “illegal summary executions” on the high seas, urging Congress to formally investigate whether his recent military strikes against Venezuelan vessels amount to murder under U.S. and international law.
In a statement released October 6, 2025, the association said Trump ordered U.S. forces to carry out air and missile strikes on three Venezuelan-flagged private boats in September and a fourth on October 3, killing at least 21 civilians and severely damaging or sinking the vessels. The attacks, the Bar said, were “unlawful summary executions prohibited by both U.S. and international law.”
