President Donald Trump appeared to test the limits of his power during a live White House presser on Thursday, brushing aside the usual boundaries that define the presidency.
During the exchange, he suggested he would “just kill” foreign drug traffickers without due process or congressional approval — eventually turning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose attempt to back him up only made the moment more alarming.
Trump’s absolutely startling comments came during a question-and-answer session with reporters at the White House on Thursday, when he also falsely declared that his administration had reduced the illegal flow of drugs into the U.S. by sea to “less than 5 percent” of what it was before he took office.
A reporter asked Trump why not just officially declare war.
“Mr. President, if you are declaring war against these cartels, and Congress is likely to approve of that process, why not just ask for a declaration of war?”
Trump’s stunning answer seemed to shock everyone present
“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know, they’re going to be like, dead, OK?” Trump threatened.
Social media exploded after his remarks.
Threads user Stephany Faublas reacted this way, “Omg. I’ve never gasped so hard and so loud.”
This Threads user agreed,” WHY THE HELL are we not doing ANYTHING about this dementia-ridden felon villain???”
“This might be one of the most shocking statements he’s made. I say that, knowing I’m probably forgetting something, many other shocking statements that this could be incorrect. However… the audacity is astounding,” a Reddit user proclaimed.
And the reaction continued on Reddit with another user exclaiming, “I thought the exact same thing. He did once say that he could kill someone on 5th [Avenue in New York] in broad daylight and get away with it. He thinks he’s a mafia hero. He’s a soft con man.”
Another responded to that comment, “And not only was he right, but it’s already worse than that! He’s killing citizens of other countries in broad daylight and threatening to do it again!
Still another Reddit user said in disbelief, “Trump straight up said he was going to murder people. His support in Congress should fall away immediately with that announcement, but it won’t.”
When Trump was asked about capturing an alleged drug boat to show definitively that there are drugs aboard, he essentially dismissed the question.
“Well, we know everything about them,” he blatantly lied.
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And a Threads user called him out. “If they know everything about them, why not show the American people what’s on the boats?”
And another remarked, “Just shooting people out the water, any real proof.”
Trump was then asked about two survivors of a U.S. strike on a vessel in the Caribbean recently.
“If they’re terrorists, why not arrest them and detain them instead of sending them back?” a reporter asked.
The President deflected to Hegseth, who didn’t do any better to rein in Trump’s reckless remarks. Instead, he went on a long-winded, rambling spiel about how the military handled the same issue during a conflict.
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Hegseth said sending them back to their country of origin was “very standard.”
“In this case, those two, they were treated by American medics and handed immediately over to their countries where they came from, hopefully to face prosecution, which is a very standard way of handling something,” Hegseth insisted.
“So murder then? Totally normal murder. I can’t wait for the trials!,” remarked a viewer on Threads.
The U.S. military has attacked nine boats so far in the Caribbean and Pacific, suspected of transporting drugs, killing at least 37 people, according to CNN.
Trump says he’s now focusing on drugs entering the country by land and that he might go to Congress to brief lawmakers on his plans to use the military against drug cartels.
“I can’t imagine they would have any problem with it. I think, in fact, while we’re here, if you go to Congress and you tell them about it, what are they going to do? Say, ‘We don’t want to stop drugs pouring in.”
But before concluding his remarks, he made a deliberate swipe at Democrats. He said he planned to go to Congress and “tell them what we’re going to do,” and that lawmakers would “probably like it, except for the radical left lunatics.”