Trump, CIA Take Big Step Towards Killing Cartel Members: DETAILS
The CIA is taking a hard look at authority for killing cartel members as President Donald Trump weighs options.
President Trump has made stopping cartels based in Mexico from poisoning America a top priority of his second administration.
Something must be done to stop the carnage, chaos and pain, and Trump, the government and military have taken a variety of actions.
Below are a few of the most notable:
- Heavy weapons move to the border.
- Unprecedented spy flights.
- Reaper drones flying in Mexico.
- 7th Special Forces group training the Mexican military.
- Declaring cartels foreign terrorist organizations.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declaring all options are on the table.
- Drug cartels are going into hiding ahead of possible strikes.
Will President Donald Trump attack the drug cartels? (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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CIA takes actions for possible cartel strikes.
Well, it appears the CIA is doing its due diligence for a potential strike, according to a bombshell report from CNN.
The outlet reported Monday that the world's most powerful intelligence agency "is reviewing its authorities to use lethal force against drug cartels in Mexico and beyond as the Trump administration moves to make taking on the cartels a major priority for the intelligence agency, according to a US official and three people briefed on the matter."
CNN noted that the review of authority for a lethal action "does not indicate" the President has already issued the order. Instead, it's meant for the CIA to "understand what kinds of activities it could legally undertake and what the potential risks would be across the suite of options."
One of the issues the CIA is looking at is what happens if an American is accidentally killed in an operation conducted by the CIA, according to the same report.
The CIA has multiple ways to conduct significant lethal operations. For example, the CIA operates drones and has direct action kill teams within the Special Activities Division.
Title 50 authority also allows secretive military units to operate outside of standard authority. Tier One units would most likely be used if a Title 50 approach is favored by Trump.
CIA reportedly is reviewing legal authority for lethal strikes against drug cartels. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
What is clear to anyone paying attention, is that efforts to stop the cartels are ramping up, and it's still not clear if/when a strike will happen.
However, we do know cartels are already scrambling amid fears that a strike will happen. At a minimum, they're already running scared and that's good news for the good guys.
President Donald Trump is hellbent on stopping drug cartels. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Make sure to keep checking back to OutKick for any updates as we might have them, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.