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President Trump said the U.S. military is attacking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in response to fentanyl deaths, asserting the vessels come from Venezuela. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the mission as protecting the homeland from drugs. Since the antidrug campaign began in September, the military has destroyed at least 21 boats, killing more than 80 people. Lawmakers and narcotics experts call the Venezuela link misleading, noting the illicit fentanyl used in the United States does not originate there and has been manufactured by Mexican cartels using precursor chemicals from China.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.