President Donald Trump inadvertently dropped a stunning claim on Wednesday about his views on the administration's legal authority to strike alleged drug boats in international waters during a news conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
A reporter asked Trump about the administration's legal authority to strike seven boats in international waters near Venezuela and Colombia. Trump appeared to claim they have legal authority for strikes over international waters, but may have to go through Congress for land strikes.
"We have legalauthority," Trump said. "We'reallowed to do that. And if we doby land, we may go back toCongress. But this isa national security problem."
Trump added that his administration's strikes could cause drug traffickers to start using land routes. He added that if they do, the administration plans to "hit them hard."
Another reporter asked Trump to explain how the administration conducted the operations.
"We have thegreatest military in the world," Trump said. "We have the greatest weapons inthe world, and you see a littlebit of it there. One shot,everyone dead center. And theonly way youwon't feel badly about it is if you realize that every time yousee that happen, you're saving25,000 American lives. Every oneof those boats that gets knockedout is saving 25,000 Americanlives."