The US strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, briefly explained

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration is promising to “wage combat” against drug cartels following a strike targeting an alleged Venezuelan drug boat. What happened? On Tuesday, the US destroyed a small boat carrying 11 people in the southern Caribbean Sea. The boat was in international waters at the time of the strike, and its destination was unclear, though Donald Trump said it was bound for the US and the passengers were “Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.” What’s the context? The Trump administration has made a string of aggressive moves against Venezuela in recent months, accusing it of “narcoterrorism” and cooperating with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang operating transnationally. Last week, the administration dispatched multiple US warships and an attack submarine to the Caribbean near the country. What’s the big picture? This could just be the start of the Trump administration’s war on cartels. Trump has long expressed interest in taking direct military action against cartels, including reportedly asking during his first term about launching missiles into Mexico to target “drug labs.” Last month, Trump signed an order directing the use of force against drug cartels his organization has designated as terrorist organizations, including Tren de Aragua. Why does this matter? Tuesday’s strike represents new, questionable territory for the US military. Though Tren de Aragua has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration, that doesn’t give the president the authority to order 11 deaths with no pretense of process. But the strikes are likely to continue: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Wednesday that “it’ll happen again.” And with that, it’s time to log off… I love a good space story, and this one from Vox Future Perfect fellow Shayna Korol is no exception. She writes that, before humanity manages to send a person to Mars, space medicine — a real medical field! — has a few things to figure out about what going there would mean for the human body. The good news is that, while there’s lots more to do, researchers are starting to look into the question. What’s more, whatever they discover might be a boon for human health right here on Earth, too. You can read Shayna’s story here. Have a great night, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!