- US Vice President JD Vance has defended the US military’s strike on a Venezuelan boat on 2 September, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people.
- The Trump administration asserts the vessel was operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and was involved in drug trafficking.
- The legality of the strike in international waters, and the absence of due process, has been questioned by legal experts and politicians, with some suggesting it could constitute a "war crime."
- Vance said on his official X account that he "doesn't give a s***" if it is labelled a "war crime," a comment that drew sharp criticism from GOP Senator Rand Paul.
- Vance said: “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”
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