Defense Secretary Declares Drug Cartels Will Be Targeted Like ISIS

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday that drug trafficking organizations will be pursued with the same intensity and coordination that the United States has applied against ISIS. In a briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Austin described the drug cartels as a “major threat to national security” and said the Department of Defense will “partner with federal, state, local, and international partners” to disrupt their operations, supply chains, and financial networks.

Austin cited the U.S. Global War on Terrorism as a model for the effort, noting that the Department of Defense will employ intelligence, special operations, and cyber capabilities to target cartel leadership and infrastructure. He also highlighted ongoing cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Justice, and foreign allies in the region, emphasizing that the strategy will focus on dismantling the cartels’ ability to influence and corrupt governments. The Secretary concluded that the U.S. would remain committed to reducing the flow of narcotics and the violence that accompanies them, framing the initiative as a continuation of the broader counter‑terrorism and counter‑crime agenda.