Trump Makes Major Military Decision As Potential Cartel War Looms: DETAILS
President Donald Trump has loosened rules for striking bad guys.
Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have made it clear it's a new era for the military. Gone are the days of woke garbage and fighting with a hand tied behind the back.
Whether it's hammering terrorists or targeting the cartels, all options are on the table. Peace through strength is the standard, but if a strike must happen, then it will be done with overwhelming force.
That's now going to be easier to happen.
President Trump eases rules for killing bad guys.
CBS News reported Thursday that the President "has rolled back constraints on American commanders to authorize airstrikes and special operation raids outside conventional battlefields, broadening the range of people who can be targeted."
"The quiet but seismic recalibration dismantles Biden-era mandates and signals a return to more aggressive counterterrorism policies Trump first instituted in his first term," the report further states.
Sec. Def. Hegseth confirmed the report Friday night on X with a tweet featuring just one word:
"Correct."
The move comes amid speculation the United States might target cartel leaders in Mexico or other regions of the world.
There is also previous reporting that the White House is split on whether to go after the cartels in Mexico alone or to work with Mexican authorities.
Both options come with serious pros and cons, and there are lots of different data points Trump will have to consider.
Outside of potentially going after the cartels, the new standard also gives Special Operations commanders more freedom to go after terrorists around the globe.
You can't fight the enemy unless you're willing to go all the way. The rules of engagement can't be restrictive. Operators need to be able to do their jobs.
Any rules that restrict that need to be eliminated, and it appears that's exactly what Trump has done.
President Donald Trump has eased the rules for striking bad guys. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
What impact do you think the loosened standards for taking out bad guys will have? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.