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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Lolita C. Baldor

Pentagon official: US military has no authority to do drone strikes on drug cartels in Mexico

Immigration Border - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A top Pentagon official said Tuesday that special operations forces do not have the authority to launch drone attacks at drug cartels in Mexico, even though President Donald Trump has designated them foreign terrorist organizations.

Colby Jenkins, who is currently working as the assistant defense secretary for special operations, told a Senate committee that Trump's designation doesn’t automatically give the U.S. military the authority to take direct action against the cartels.

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