White House Defends Lawful Follow-On Strike on Drug Boat

White House Justification for Strike

• 🎯 White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Frank Bradley acted "within his authority and the law" when ordering a follow-on strike on a drug trafficking boat.
• ⚠️ This action was taken to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated.

Questions on Legality and Orders

• ❓ Leavitt rejected reports that the Secretary of Defense issued a verbal order to kill defenseless survivors of the attack.
• 🗣️ However, she confirmed the President's stance that if "narot terrorists" traffic illegal drugs towards the U.S., he has the authority to kill them.
• 📜 Lawmakers are calling for a review of the military campaign's legality amid rising tensions with Venezuela.

Military Operations and Tensions

• 🚢 Over a dozen warships and approximately 15,000 troops have been deployed to the region.
• 💥 U.S. Southern Command has conducted at least 21 strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats, resulting in over 80 fatalities.

Diplomatic and Political Discussions

• 🇻🇪 Venezuela is considered a "not a very friendly country" by the administration.
• 🤝 President Trump was scheduled to hold a high-stakes Oval Office meeting with key officials to discuss Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
• 📞 Trump confirmed a recent phone call with the Venezuelan leader but declined to elaborate on its outcome.

President's Health Update

• ✅ The White House shared details of President Trump's normal MRI results, conducted as a preventative measure for his heart and abdominal area.
• 🩺 This follows an April checkup at Walter Reed, with the MRI serving as a follow-up examination.