Tess Bridgeman

Trump administration tells Congress war law doesn’t apply to cartel strikes A top Trump administration lawyer told Congress that the War Powers Resolution, which would require the end of hostilities within 60 days, doesn’t apply to cartel strikes.

🧵 Trump admin is "doing a Libya"—claiming that US maritime strikes don't constitute "hostilities" under the War Powers Resolution and thus that law's 60-day limit on hostilities doesn't apply.

Shared thoughts with @washingtonpost.com, but here are more: 1/n

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

👇 Unless Congress affirmatively voted to authorize Trump admin strikes against suspected drug cartel affiliates (which are already illegal under domestic and international law), another law kicks in on Monday that requires the President to withdraw the U.S. military:

Expert Backgrounder on War Powers Resolution 60-Day Clock for Boat Strikes Expiring Monday Expert backgrounder on how War Powers Resolution works in application to U.S. military operations against suspected drug cartels.

And read this expert backgrounder on the 60 day termination clock in the War Powers Resolution and why it is so clearly triggered with #Trump's strikes against suspected drug vessels:

www.justsecurity.org/123717/war-p...

With news that the #Trump admin may be about to escalate into an illegal war of choice w/ #Venezuela, another rule of law moment comes on Nov. 3:

@rcls-nyu.bsky.social explains the War Powers Resolution's termination clock that requires removal of congressionally unauthorized forces after 60 days 👇

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part III Tess Bridgeman is joined by Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane to assess how the campaign has evolved and what to expect moving forward.

This is murder. I recommend this excellent discussion with @tessbridgeman.bsky.social @becingber.bsky.social @bcfinucane.bsky.social www.justsecurity.org/122950/podca...

This is chilling. The President is asserting authority to kill completely outside of the law. And plans to keep at it.

We are not at war, and he is ignoring the criminal laws that actually apply (eg, murder).

No limiting principle stops him from doing this to others he labels "terrorists."

1/3

Two reasons:
(1) the United States doesn't have any legal basis to use force against, well, anyone in the region (cartels, Vz, etc.) because there's no valid self-defense claim - AUMFs don't change that

(2) As @becingber.bsky.social says, killing civilians is never legal, in war or otherwise

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.

Interested in the ways that the Caribbean (and Pacific) drug strikes are unlawful?

@justsecurity.org has 15 Articles (!) from experts @becingber.bsky.social @bcfinucane.bsky.social @martylederman.bsky.social @seharrison7.bsky.social @mikeschmitt.bsky.social

www.justsecurity.org/120753/colle...

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.

And the @justsecurity.org collection of analysis, podcasts, and informational resources here:

www.justsecurity.org/120753/colle...

Trump’s Deadly Attacks in the Caribbean Sea | Crooked Media

See my discussion with Jane Coaston on this here:

crooked.com/podcast/trum...

2/3

This is chilling. The President is asserting authority to kill completely outside of the law. And plans to keep at it.

We are not at war, and he is ignoring the criminal laws that actually apply (eg, murder).

No limiting principle stops him from doing this to others he labels "terrorists."

1/3

Trump’s Deadly Attacks in the Caribbean Sea | Crooked Media

And here's the the What a Day show page:

crooked.com/podcast/trum...

YouTube video by What A Day The Terrifying Reason Trump Is Blowing Up Boats in International Waters

Spoke with @janecoaston.bsky.social @crooked.com about #Trump's illegal strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, potential implications within the US, whether it's a prelude to war in #Venezuela, and what Congress can do about it.

Watch our discussion here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQQr...

I wish we didn’t have to keep meeting like this. @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, @bcfinucane.bsky.social and I unpack the weekend news involving the brief detention and repatriation of two survivors from the Administration’s recent boat strike for the @justsecurity.org podcast.

Pleased to again join my brilliant friends, @tessbridgeman.bsky.social and @becingber.bsky.social on the @justsecurity.org podcast to discuss the latest developments with US strikes in the Caribbean, the prospects for US military action against Venezuela, and incoherent US policy towards Colombia.

If you haven't read @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and co-authors' full study on the "presumption of regularity" in Trump administration litigation @justsecurity.org, just featured on @60minutes.bsky.social, you can find it here:

www.justsecurity.org/120547/presu...

I'm grateful to @60minutes.bsky.social featuring our study published @justsecurity.org.

Link to the study (on the 'presumption of regularity'): www.justsecurity.org/120547/presu...

U.S. Detains 2 Survivors of Latest Military Strike in Caribbean

In brief, this is simple:

The military has no authority to detain the survivors of its latest strike for the same reasons it had no authority to target them in the first place:

No armed attack = No viable self defense claim = No targeting or detention authority

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...

Unfortunately more relevant now than ever, take a listen to @bcfinucane.bsky.social @becingber.bsky.social @rachelgoldbrenner.bsky.social and me on what's going on with the administration's attacks on (unidentified) suspected drug traffickers coming from #Venezuela:

Attacking Drug Cartels in the Territory of Another State U.S. lethal operations against suspected cartel-affiliated individuals to date stretch applicable international law beyond recognition.

Expert on use of force and law of armed conflict, Prof. Mike Schmitt:

“The U.S. operations conducted to date against suspected members of drug cartels stretch the applicable international law rules and their interpretation beyond recognition.”

Full analysis:
www.justsecurity.org/122756/drug-...

Qs Congress & press need to ask:

-What group were those killed associated with? What were their roles? Who were they?

-Will you explain the reasoning in OLC's opinion purporting to justify these killings?

-Do you believe you have authority to summarily kill US citizens involved in the drug trade?

The President is announcing more extrajudicial killings today.

A reminder that the administration has provided no limiting principles and these killings are completely untethered from the law (there was no "armed attack," there's no "armed conflict," and these aren't "unlawful combatants").

Some Questions About Trump’s Order Pledging to Defend Qatar’s Security Trump's EO on Qatar raises a number of important legal and policy questions that merit careful consideration by Congress and the public.

Mike Mattler is truly the expert I'd want to hear from most on Trump's EO that appears to extend US security guarantees to #Qatar - former lead Executive branch treaty lawyer, former counsel at SFRC.

Read his analysis of the key Qs and how to think about them:

www.justsecurity.org/122118/trump...

Secretary Rubio has this wrong.

The US is not currently engaged in hostilities with Houthis or Iranian proxies, so there's no termination required.

And the resolution specifically states it does NOT prevent the US "from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack"

The Crisis in Uniform: The Danger of Presidential Immunity for the U.S. Military Military personnel are increasingly aware that they may be asked to prioritize loyalty to an individual over their rights and responsibilities

Hard to imagine a more important piece right now:

"As the chief lawyer for our federal government you have a unique responsibility to ensure maintenance of our constitutional standards

How did you conclude that these strikes are legal?"

"Due process is the cornerstone of our constitution. I’m deeply concerned about the authority our president seems to be asserting to summarily kill people suspected of criminal activity outside the law."

"I’m concerned with what the limiting principle is. Whether the government could summarily kill people it just declares are cartel members as well as unlawful combatants inside the United States or if they were American citizens."

These aren't hypos. Trump plans to "fight the enemy from within..."

Thank you @coons.senate.gov.

The AG is unwilling to discuss law, but Senators must not acquiesce in lawlessness.