Vice President JD Vance on Saturday defended the Trump administration’s targeted U.S. military strike against members of the Tren de Aragua drug cartel.
The strike, carried out in the Caribbean Sea earlier this week, killed nearly a dozen cartel smugglers transporting narcotics, according to President Trump.
JD Vance
Vance Defends Cartel Strike
“Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military,” Vance wrote on X.
Liberal activist Brian Krassenstein accused the administration of committing war crimes.
Brian Krassenstein
Vance replied bluntly: “I don’t give a s*** what you call it,” a post that drew over 1.3 million views within hours.
The Vice President then followed up with another jab at Democrats.
“Democrats: let’s send your kids to die in Russia. Republicans: actually let’s protect our people from the scum of the earth,” he wrote.
This is not the first time Vance has drawn attention for sharp remarks.
In January, he interrupted CBS anchor Margaret Brennan during a discussion on an Afghan terror suspect. “I don’t really care, Margaret,” he said, a clip that spread widely online.
The Fentanyl Crisis
The debate comes as America continues to battle an opioid epidemic.
Hundreds of thousands have died from synthetic opioids over the past decade, with tens of thousands of pounds of fentanyl seized at the border during Biden’s open-border era.
Trump’s Strategy
Unlike his predecessor, Trump has paired border security with direct strikes on cartel networks abroad.
This week, he released footage of the U.S. military operation against Tren de Aragua smugglers in international waters.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 2, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the shift in strategy, saying future strikes will target cartels before they reach American soil.
“Interdiction doesn’t work because these drug cartels — what they do is they know they’re going to lose 2% of their cargo,” Rubio said.
“What will stop them is when you blow them up. You get rid of them.”
The Stakes
The Tren de Aragua cartel, rooted in Venezuela, has expanded its reach across Latin America.
U.S. officials warn its networks feed directly into the fentanyl crisis hitting American communities.
Vance’s defense of Trump’s strike underscores the administration’s message: cartel threats will be met with force, not hesitation.
