Vice President JD Vance clashed with a prominent online critic on Saturday over his comments supporting a recent military strike against cartels. Vance defended a U.S. attack that killed 11 suspected Venezuelan narco-terrorists in the southern Caribbean earlier this week.
The controversy began after Vance posted on X, stating, “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.” His statement referred to Tuesday’s targeted strike on a Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying narcotics toward the United States.
Soon after, political influencer Brian Krassenstein condemned the statement. He accused Vance of supporting war crimes against foreign civilians. “Killing the citizens of another nation without due process is called a war crime,” Krassenstein wrote in reply.
Vance fired back. “I don’t give a s— what you call it,” he responded, dismissing the accusation. Krassenstein later argued that Vance should face impeachment over the comment. The heated exchange spread quickly across social media platforms.
Meanwhile, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed the operation on Fox News. He said the military strike against cartels sends a strong message to drug traffickers in the region. “It’s a new day. The U.S. will no longer tolerate this activity in our hemisphere,” he said.
Hegseth described the operation as a successful hit on a narco-terrorist group with links to Venezuela. He explained that the strike occurred in international waters, within the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility. He emphasized that no American personnel were harmed during the mission.
President Donald Trump shared video footage of the explosion and praised the mission as a national security win. “Let this be a warning,” Trump said. “Anyone who traffics drugs toward our country will face the consequences.”
Officials made clear this strike would not be the last. Hegseth confirmed that future actions will target other cartel-linked vessels in the area. “If you traffic drugs in these waters, you will face the same outcome,” he stated.
The military strike against cartels may shape U.S. policy in the months ahead. While some praise the bold action, others argue it risks escalating tensions. However, the administration insists the move was necessary to defend Americans and protect national sovereignty.
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