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Trump Admin PANICS as Congress OPENS New PROBE | It's Complicated

2025-12-05 News & Politics
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Legal AF
Legal AF
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Legal Analysis: War Crimes Allegations, Shipwreck Murders, and Executive Branch Accountability

Understand the critical legal distinction between military operations classified as Laws of War versus Law Enforcement, and evaluate precisely why killing shipwreck survivors is considered a clear-cut international crime regardless of the broader dispute.

Short Summary

  • The Trump administration attempts to fit lethal strikes against drug boats into the permissive "laws of war" framework, which experts vehemently reject.
  • Targeting individuals clinging to wreckage after a boat strike is universally deemed "clearly illegal," violating fundamental maritime warfare doctrines.
  • Subordinate accountability hinges on established military law principles: personnel are obligated to refuse manifestly illegal orders.
  • Congress holds an institutional check via the War Powers Resolution, as operations may have exceeded the 60-day authorization window.
  • A separate inquiry demonstrates ongoing executive branch attempts to defy judicial rulings regarding migrant return orders to El Salvador.

This discussion features legal expert Ryan Goodman analyzing the contested legal grounds for using lethal force against drug cartels. We clarify why labeling the boat strikes as "war crimes" might inadvertently legitimize the administration's problematic legal framing when "extrajudicial killing" is the more accurate term under domestic and international law enforcement regimes.

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Description

After a bombshell report that the U.S. military targeted and killed shipwrecked survivors of a Venezuelan boat strike, Congressional lawmakers from both sides of the aisle announced they’d be investigating the potentially illegal act. Asha and Renato speak with NYU law professor Ryan Goodman to find out if the Trump administration committed a war crime and who could be held accountable. Plus, they cover the latest developments in a federal judge’s attempt to hold DHS officials in contempt for defying his order to return Venezuelan migrants being deported to an El Salvador prison. Tune in! Asha Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/ Subscribe to our podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/its-complicated Follow Asha on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/asharangappa.bsky.social Follow Renato on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/renatomariotti.bsky.social Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/ Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/ Cruise with us! https://www.travelstore.com/group-travel/its-complicated-cruise-2026/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@LegalAFMTN?sub_confirmation=1 Legal AF Substack: https://substack.com/@legalaf Follow Legal AF on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/legalafmtn.bsky.social Follow Michael Popok on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mspopok.bsky.social Subscribe to the Legal AF by MeidasTouch podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legal-af-by-meidastouch/id1580828595

Top Comments (10)

@charliebrewtoo 2025-12-05

Where is the proof of drugs on these boats.

117 9 replies
@fridamaldonado8426 2025-12-05

Murders!!! Playing with guns, as foolish kindergartners kids. Evil behavior.

87 4 replies
@normabrien8331 2025-12-05

One of the wives has filed a complaint with The Hague stating her husband was a fisherman and not a drug dealer and was murdered for no reason, he has three minor children.

78 5 replies
@StanleyTolle 2025-12-05

There does not appear to be any laws in this country anymore.

77 14 replies
@apriladams6098 2025-12-05

Whatever happens every illegal act is being remembered for the future!!!

70 1 replies
@krysti2 2025-12-05

From one of the victims mothers, these boats are water taxis, for workers who have been working in Venezuela, going home to Trinidad and Tobago..

47 1 replies
@AnMe-m3w 2025-12-05

Our military should not keep murdering people.

41
@CBlargh 2025-12-05

It doesn't seem so complicated to me. The Secretary of Defense and his criminal boss are guilty of murder and terrorism.

37 1 replies
@Joseph-l3i6x 2025-12-05

Forget the war crimes idea. It was murder. They were just fishermen!!!!!!!!

28 1 replies
@rosemarymeert4848 2025-12-05

This administration is lawless, clueless and very delusional

24 1 replies

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