From PBS NewsHour.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" and said the U.S. will "kill them" during White House remarks on Thursday.

"We will track them, we will map them, we will network them and we will hunt them and kill them because they’re trying to and they are killing and poisoning the American people," Hegseth said.

Hegseth said the U.S. will launch more "kinetic strikes" against alleged cartel vessels transporting drugs.

Trump’s remarks come as he has threatened action against Venezuela, described the Colombian president as an "illegal drug leader" and launched a ninth strike against an alleged drug-carrying maritime vessel. Some lawmakers have expressed concern and urged more information about the strikes that have been carried out by the administration.

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