Trump: Keeping his eyes on the prize

Trump's prize remains elusive

Although there are many reasons Donald Trump didn’t win a Nobel Peace Prize,* I’ll only highlight one today:

Indiscriminately killing people in the Caribbean.

Let me say that again: indiscriminately killing people in the Caribbean.

At face value, that doesn’t look too good on the resumé. In reality, it doesn’t look any better.

Thus far, four vessels have been destroyed by the US as they navigated in international waters. Reliable estimates say it's cost 21 lives.

Trump and his “Department of War” call it justifiable—that they were stopping “narco-terrorists” from the “imminent danger” of these boats bringing drugs into the US, terming it a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels (a ploy to skirt the need for Congressional approval).

But there’s been no evidence of such “imminent danger” activity presented by the Trump administration—no seizure manifests, no forensic drug‑testing results, no documented chain‑of‑custody intelligence. Nothing that would normally be provided to justify such US force.

No evidence presented.

Ever.

As a matter of fact, reliable accounts say not all of the ships were even headed to the US.

Family members of some of those killed--as well as local reporting--dispute the connection of those killed to drug cartels.

The leaders of the boat’s originating countries, Venezuela and Colombia, call the US actions “murder.”

World governments largely condemn the strikes, demanding transparency for any evidence presented, and stressing the need to respect regional stability and the sovereignty of other nations.

Congressional members call it unconstitutional and an unauthorized use of lethal force. Even Republican Rand Paul (KY) says, “We can't have a policy where we just blow up ships where we don't even know the people's names.”

A Venezuelan boat just before the US
 attacked, killing all eleven passengers

And, meanwhile, 21 people have died as a result of this US violence.

Normally, such boats are warned and seized, with the aim being to capture suspects and contraband, build prosecutions, maintain relationships with regional partners, and limit escalation. Normally, the US considers due process when they target such vessels.

But not so in Donald Trump’s America.

Instead, the pouty now-non-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize thinks that indiscriminate killing should be overlooked when under consideration of such recognition.

In February, Trump said, “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s too bad. I deserve it.”

My cut: let’s hope the standards for peace never sink that low.

 

*Trump actions (non-exhaustive) that might preclude claims of him being the “peace president:” deploying federal troops to peaceful U.S cities, inciting supporters to overrun the Capitol—with many pummeling police—and then praising/pardoning them, encouraging violence against protesters, refusing to act as his pal Putin ramps up strikes against Ukraine, standing by while his ally Netanyahu continued to slaughter innocent Palestinians, threatening free press, admiring dictators, denigrating allies, discouraging free speech, disparaging the judicial system, elevating divisive causes (Charlie Kirk’s messages, returning monuments honoring racist and traitorous Confederate figures), rebranding the Department of Defense to the Department of War.