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 legal authority," Trump said. "We're allowed to do that. And if we do by land, we may go back to Congress. But this is a 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 the greatest military in the world," Trump said. "We have the greatest weapons in the world, and you see a little bit of it there. One shot, everyone dead center. And the only way you won't feel badly about it is if you realize that every time you see that happen, you're saving 25,000 American lives. Every one of those boats that gets knocked out is saving 25,000 American lives."