US is engaged in formal 'armed conflict' with 'terrorist' drug cartels, Trump says

President Donald Trump has determined that the United States is in now engaged in a formal "armed conflict" with drug cartels, which the administration has deemed as "unlawful combatants," according to a confidential memo obtained by ABC News Thursday.

It comes after recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean. 

The notice was sent to several congressional committees and was first reported by The New York Times.

President Donald Trump answers questions while childhood cancer survivors and their families gather in the Oval Office at the White House, September 30, 2025 in Washington.
Nathan Howard/Reuters

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