Trump Mocked For Wishing 'Peace On Earth' Then 'Murdering' Civilians In International Waters

Trump's festive appeal for 'peace on Earth' was met with sharp rebuke from critics after the US military conducted lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters, resulting in civilian deaths and ongoing rescue efforts.

The United States Coast Guard confirmed it was searching for survivors after lethal strikes by US Southern Command targeted a convoy of suspected drug vessels in the Pacific Ocean, killing at least three people and leaving several others unaccounted for. The strikes formed part of an expanded anti-narcotics campaign that has now seen more than 30 similar operations since September 2025, with official figures indicating at least 110 fatalities.

US Military Conducts Deadly Strikes In International Waters

Late on 30 December 2025, the US military executed a series of air strikes on three vessels it described as part of a 'narco-trafficking convoy' operating in international waters of the eastern Pacific.

According to a US Southern Command statement shared on X, intelligence indicated that the boats were transiting known drug-trafficking routes and had exchanged narcotics between them prior to engagement.

The first strike reportedly killed three individuals aboard one boat. Survivors on the other two vessels were said to have jumped overboard before follow-on attacks sank those boats, prompting a multi-agency search for survivors involving a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft and nearby vessels.

Exact locations of the engagements have not been publicly disclosed by Pentagon officials, though previous incidents have taken place in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The assaults are part of what the US military designates Operation Southern Spear, launched in mid-August 2025 to counter narcotics smuggling through lethal force against vessels the administration alleges are operated by designated 'narco-terrorist' groups. Official Pentagon figures show at least 115 people have died in 35 known strikes on 36 vessels since the operation's inception.

Festive Rhetoric Meets Hard Reality At Sea

Trump's public diplomatic messaging coincided with the height of these operations, drawing particular ridicule on social media. Prominent online commentators have juxtaposed Trump's festive goodwill rhetoric with ongoing military actions that have taken dozens of lives.

Independent observers, including political commentator Brian Krassenstein, have highlighted what they view as hypocrisy in celebrating peace while military actions result in civilian deaths.

Krassenstein's own recent X posts, which include inflammatory language about Trump, reflect broader tensions on social media platforms regarding the president's conduct and public image. These posts, nearly viral in reach, illustrate how contentious the juxtaposition of festive diplomacy and foreign policy violence has become for segments of the online public.

It's important to note that using lethal force in international waters against unverified criminal suspects who are not actively posing an imminent threat could violate both US and international law. In October 2025, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an investigation into similar strikes, deeming the mounting death toll 'unacceptable' and potentially extrajudicial.

Campaign Spurs Domestic Political And Legal Debate

Within the United States, the attacks have ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly defended the strikes, asserting broad presidential authority to use military force where he sees fit in defence of national interests.

In remarks at the Reagan National Defence Forum, Hegseth framed the operations as a necessary evolution of America's counter-drug strategy, likening cartel operations to terrorism and insisting the president has the legal prerogative to act without congressional authorisation.

Critics in Congress, however, have condemned the policy as unlawful and dangerous. Bipartisan investigations have been launched into a controversial 'double tap' strike in early September 2025 that reportedly targeted survivors clinging to a wreckage, raising allegations that the action could constitute a war crime under US and international humanitarian law.

President Trump's administration has thus entered 2026 under heightened scrutiny, with military strategy, legality and moral authority all at issue.