McCormick backs U.S. airstrikes on suspected drug boats
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick said he supports U.S. military airstrikes on vessels suspected of trafficking narcotics, arguing the operations are necessary to combat the fentanyl crisis that has impacted communities across the state.
McCormick, a Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the comments during a Fox News appearance on Dec. 23, directly endorsing the strikes as a justified use of U.S. military force.
“In my state of Pennsylvania, we lost 4,000 people last year to drug overdoses,” he said. “So the people that I see across Pennsylvania see this as a much bigger threat than some of the other places around the world. Using our military to take it down is absolutely justified.”
McCormick added that while Democrats have raised objections, he believes many privately agree with the severity of the crisis.
“I think the Democrats know that,” he said. “They see this fentanyl crisis too, but they’re trying to make a political statement.”
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His remarks come amid escalating scrutiny of a series of U.S. military strikes on foreign vessels suspected of transporting narcotics in international waters. Earlier this month, U.S. Southern Command confirmed it struck three vessels along known drug-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific, killing eight people. The command released black-and-white footage showing the boats being destroyed by large explosions.
According to U.S. Southern Command, intelligence indicated the vessels were actively engaged in narcotics trafficking. The strikes are part of a broader campaign under President Donald Trump that has targeted more than 20 vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean regions near Venezuela. At least 90 suspected drug smugglers have been killed.
The use of military force against suspected drug boats marks a departure from past U.S. counter-narcotics policy and has sparked legal and constitutional concerns. Some legal scholars argue the strikes amount to unlawful extrajudicial killings, while critics in Congress have warned they could entangle the U.S. in another prolonged conflict.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has defended the intelligence behind the operations, pushing back on claims that the military is acting indiscriminately.
“There’s extensive intelligence, and they know exactly who’s on that boat and what’s on that boat,” Fetterman said earlier this month, describing congressional hearings on the strikes as “pretty comprehensive.”
In October, Fetterman joined most Republicans in voting down a War Powers Act resolution that would have blocked further strikes without congressional approval. The resolution failed 51–48, with only two Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voting in favor. Fetterman was the sole Democrat to break with his party.
Internationally, the strikes have strained relations in the region. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said evidence suggests at least one of the targeted vessels was Colombian, raising concerns about civilian casualties and sovereignty. Tensions have also increased with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has vowed to defend his country if U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean continue.
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