On Tuesday, various left-leaning commentators, including Democratic congressional hopefuls and former officials from the Clinton administration, labeled the recent destruction of a ship connected to Venezuela’s Tren de Lagua (TDA) as a “war crime.”

President Trump announced that US Southern Command troops struck a vessel on September 2, targeting 11 members of TDA. A brief video of the strike was shared on social media, with National Review writer Caroline Downey mentioning that the objective was to curb drug supplies entering the U.S.

One participant argued, “Even in terms of drug trafficking, this can’t be justified as a legitimate action. If they’re willing to strike a random boat in the Caribbean, what’s next? There’s no evidence to support this operation at all.”

Another commentator questioned the accusation of terrorism against those on the boat, stating, “How is this even acceptable?” To which another countered, “I don’t believe this qualifies as a war crime.”

The discussion intensified when Vice President JD Vance confronted Senator Rand Paul over the strike. Paul criticized Vance for seemingly endorsing the action. “We have no proof that these were not civilians. If I were president, I would never assume the right to take out civilians,” said Kekin, a former civil servant from the Clinton era, expressing skepticism about the facts being presented.

He also pointed out a contradiction in Trump’s policy, suggesting that the naval presence near Venezuela instigates unnecessary military tensions.

As Schultz and Boykin continued to debate whether TDA qualifies as a terrorist group, Navarro shifted the conversation towards Trump’s decision to dismantle temporary protective status for Venezuelan immigrants. “This goes back to his approach towards Venezuela and impacts countless individuals fleeing Maduro’s regime,” he remarked, questioning if these immigrants still needed protection in the U.S.

Boykin responded with, “It’s confusing. You can’t hold both views simultaneously.”

On January 20, 2025, Trump enacted several executive orders targeting illegal immigration, identifying TDA, the MS-13 gang from El Salvador, and various Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Vance offered a stark warning to drug cartels, threatening that they would face severe consequences for their actions, and mentioned possible deployment of fighter jets in Puerto Rico for similar operations against the cartels.