Nationwide — President Trump faces growing backlash over his boat strikes, as more Americans question the evidence behind the attacks and the legality of killing suspected drug traffickers at sea. Polls show support drops quickly once people learn how the operations actually work.
The debate intensified after a second strike on a capsized boat in the Caribbean drew new scrutiny, according to CNN. Critics warned it could be a war crime, especially since earlier strikes had already killed more than 80 people without a declared war.
Trump dismissed the legal concerns and said the strategy made sense to him politically. He framed it as a simple choice between supporting law enforcement or supporting drug traffickers.
Public opinion, however, is more divided. A CBS News and YouGov poll found 53 percent supported using military force on boats suspected of bringing drugs into the United States, while 47 percent opposed it. The results showed mild support rather than the strong majority Trump allies often suggest.
Support fell sharply when people were asked about transparency. Seventy five percent said the government should publicly show proof that the targeted boats were actually carrying drugs. Even half of Republicans agreed.
So far, the administration has not released that evidence. It also hasn’t identified the more than 80 people killed or provided a full legal justification for the strikes. When two men survived a later attack, officials sent them back to their home countries instead of detaining them, preventing any legal challenge that could have forced more disclosure.
A separate Reuters Ipsos poll found Americans opposed killing suspected traffickers abroad without judicial process by a 51 to 29 margin. That included more than a quarter of Republicans.
Lawmakers have also started raising concerns. Republican Mike Turner said members of Congress worry the intelligence behind the strikes might not be as strong as officials claim.
As more details surface, questions about accuracy, evidence, and due process could shift public opinion further. The administration avoided major scrutiny for months, but the second strike pushed the debate into the spotlight.