(MENAFN- Live Mint) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday (local time) defended the strikes on suspected drug cartel vessels during remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, stating that President Donald Trump has the authority to take military action“as he sees fit” to defend the country, according to AP.

Hegseth downplayed concerns about the strikes, which have resulted in more than 80 deaths and are now under close examination over potential violations of international law. He argued that the strikes are warranted to protect Americans, comparing the operations to the war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

While speaking during his keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum, he stated,“If you're working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you and we will sink you. Let there be no doubt about it."

“President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation's interests. Let no country on earth doubt that for a moment,” he added.

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The latest strike raises the campaign's death toll to at least 87. Lawmakers have demanded more information regarding the attacks, their legal justification, and whether US forces were directed to carry out a follow-up strike after a September operation, even though the Pentagon was aware of survivors.

While Hegseth likened the alleged drug smugglers to Al-Qaida terrorists, experts have highlighted key differences between the two groups and the approaches used to combat them.

Hegseth's comments came shortly after the Trump administration unveiled its new national security strategy, which portrays European allies as weak and seeks to reassert US dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

In his speech, Hegseth also addressed the need to counter China's rise through strength rather than conflict. He reiterated Trump's pledge to resume nuclear testing on an equal footing with China and Russia, a plan that has raised concerns among nuclear arms experts.

While China and Russia have not conducted explosive tests in decades, the Kremlin indicated it would follow suit if the US resumed testing. The remarks were made at the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in California, an event that gathers leading national security experts nationwide. Hegseth used the occasion to claim that Trump is Reagan's“true and rightful heir" in terms of assertive foreign policy.

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Hegseth slammed Republican leaders since Reagan for backing Middle East wars and unsuccessful democracy-building initiatives. He also condemned those who argue that climate change poses serious threats to military readiness.

He mentioned,“The war department will not be distracted by democracy building, interventionism, undefined wars, regime change, climate change, woke moralizing and feckless nation building.”

Key Takeaways

• Trump has the authority to take military action“as he sees fit” to defend the country, Hegseth said.
• He argued that the strikes are warranted to protect Americans, comparing the operations to the war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

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