WASHINGTON —

President Donald Trump announced that the United States is at war with drug cartels, following military strikes against boats accused of drug smuggling in the Caribbean.

A memo obtained by the Associated Press states, "The president determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations."

Last month, the U.S. military conducted three deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean, which the administration accused of transporting drugs. At least two of these operations targeted vessels originating from Venezuela.

The Trump administration has formally designated eight Latin American crime organizations as "foreign terrorist organizations."

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have urged the president to

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