Executive Summary
- The United Kingdom has suspended intelligence sharing with the U.S. on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean.
- The pause is due to concerns that the U.S. is using the intelligence to conduct lethal military strikes, a practice the UK may consider illegal.
- The Trump administration’s policy has reportedly led to 76 fatalities, with the U.S. classifying targets as enemy combatants.
- Critics, including a U.S. congressman and legal experts, have labeled the strikes as potential “extrajudicial killings” and violations of international law.
- A UK naval officer’s presence in the U.S. strike group further complicates the diplomatic and legal situation for Britain.
The United Kingdom has suspended sharing intelligence with the United States on suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, a rare rupture between the close military allies. The decision was prompted by concerns that American forces are using the information to conduct lethal military strikes, a practice the UK government reportedly views as potentially illegal under international law.
Historically, the UK has shared intelligence with the U.S. to facilitate the seizure of suspect vessels by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, this cooperation was paused shortly after the Trump administration began a campaign of lethal strikes in September. The U.S. government has defended its actions, claiming that drug smugglers can be legally targeted as combatants in an “armed conflict” with the United States. According to reports, these operations have resulted in an estimated 76 deaths across 19 attacks on small boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.
The policy has drawn criticism from within the U.S. and from legal experts. Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro described the actions as “extrajudicial killings” and warned that President Trump is subjecting U.S. service members to “serious criminal liability.” Legal analysts have echoed these concerns, with some suggesting that those involved in the attacks could be violating both international and domestic law, and that UK support could create legal implications for British personnel.
The situation is further complicated by a significant U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford amid tensions with Venezuela. A senior Royal Navy officer is currently serving on a U.S. destroyer within the carrier’s strike group, raising questions about the involvement of British military personnel in operations that the UK government may not legally support.
This suspension of intelligence sharing highlights a significant divergence in policy and legal interpretation between London and Washington. The move underscores the UK’s legal reservations about the lethal tactics employed in the U.S. counter-narcotics campaign. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.