The campaign of strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, initiated by the Trump administration, has been claimed to nearly halt the flow of drugs into the United States. In December, President Trump reported a 92 percent decrease in seaborne shipments, which he later increased to 97.2 percent. However, officials involved in drug enforcement have expressed skepticism about the campaign's effectiveness, noting that 221 people have died in over 60 strikes. General Francis L. Donovan, head of Southern Command, stated that the boat strikes are not the solution to drug trafficking but are one of several tools in the broader effort against narcotics. Despite claims of success, street prices for cocaine in the U.S. have dropped, contradicting expectations if smuggling were being effectively deterred.
Senators Rand Paul and Tim Kaine questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the military's criteria for targeting boats, highlighting a lack of requirement for evidence of arms or drugs on board. Rubio acknowledged that not every boat investigated is struck. The administration has faced criticism for its claims regarding fentanyl being present on targeted boats, with reports indicating that fentanyl primarily enters the U.S. through the southern border rather than by sea.
The campaign has continued despite concerns, with 21 strikes authorized since Donovan's testimony in March, resulting in 64 fatalities. Critics argue that the strikes undermine traditional law enforcement methods, which involve capturing and prosecuting smugglers to build cases against higher-level traffickers. The administration's policy changes have also led to low-level smugglers being released instead of prosecuted, raising questions about the long-term effectiveness of the strategy against drug cartels.