Evening Brief: Trump Declares Drug Cartels ‘Unlawful Combatants,’ Putin Warns of Escalation Over US Missiles

· Guy D. McCardle

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers remarks at the 22nd Valdai International Discussion Club, October 2, 2025. (Screenshot/X)

Evening rundown for Thursday, October 2, 2025.

 

Trump Declares Drug Cartels ‘Unlawful Combatants,’ Citing Armed Conflict After Caribbean Strikes

President Donald Trump has designated drug cartels as “unlawful combatants” and declared that the US is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to a memo obtained and reported by the Associated Press on Thursday.

The move follows recent US military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, including two vessels that originated from Venezuela.

The first strike on September 2 killed 11 people, with Trump saying the boat was linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, which the US labeled a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

The Pentagon has not provided a full list of groups covered by the designation, frustrating some lawmakers. Both Democrats and some Republicans have raised legal concerns, arguing the administration is overstepping by using military force without congressional authorization under the War Powers Act.

Critics say Trump’s framing of the drug fight as an armed conflict grants him sweeping wartime powers and risks setting a precedent for executive overreach.

The administration has defended the operations as necessary to curb narcotics trafficking, while human rights groups and several senators continue to question the legality of applying combat rules to criminal cartels.

 

US Army Merges Training and Futures Commands Into New Transformation and Training Command

The US Army formally merged Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) with Army Futures Command to create the new Army Transformation and Training Command (T2C), placing General David Hodne in charge.

The recent consolidation, announced earlier this year to streamline leadership and cut redundancies, unites soldier recruitment, training doctrine, and modernization under one four-star command.

The ceremony at the University of Texas at Austin marked the casing of the old commands’ flags and the unveiling of T2C’s flag and patch.

Hodne said the merger ensures that force design, development, and generation are integrated for future combat readiness.

T2C headquarters will be in Austin, with subordinate commands in Virginia, Kentucky, and Kansas.

The Army said the change reflects both product and process innovation as it adapts for future warfare.

Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, speaking remotely due to the federal government shutdown, emphasized the integration of training, fighting, and modernization as central to the restructuring.

 

US Navy Destroyer Joins NATO Baltic Mission Amid Rising Drone Incursions

The US Navy destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) has joined NATO’s Baltic Sentry mission, marking the first deployment of an American ship to the operation.

The move expands the mission’s focus from undersea threats to include air defense, following repeated drone incursions into northern European countries.

A US P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance plane was also deployed last week to support the mission.

Baltic Sentry, launched in January after suspected sabotage of cables and pipelines, includes Germany, Finland, and other Baltic allies. The addition of US assets demonstrates NATO’s resolve to deter Russian interference and protect its eastern flank, officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of launching drones from oil tankers in the Baltic, while Moscow denies involvement.

The enhanced NATO presence comes amid airspace violations in Poland, Romania, Estonia, Norway, and Denmark, which have prompted new alliance missions and temporary airport shutdowns.

NATO officials said the expansion of Baltic Sentry highlights allied solidarity and readiness to defend against both underwater and aerial threats.

 

US to Share Intelligence With Ukraine, Considers Long-Range Missiles

The United States will provide Ukraine with intelligence on Russian energy infrastructure targets, including refineries, pipelines, and power plants.

The effort, confirmed after a Wall Street Journal report, is intended to limit revenue that supports Moscow’s war operations.

NATO allies are being asked to offer similar assistance.

The administration is also reviewing Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles). US officials indicated that a transfer is unlikely because existing stockpiles are prioritized for naval use and annual production remains limited.

Alternatives from European partners are under consideration through NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, which facilitates transfers from allied inventories.

Recent policy steps include pressing countries such as Turkey, Hungary, and India to reduce imports of Russian oil and applying tariffs to discourage purchases. The administration has also supported stronger sanctions targeting energy exports, which remain Russia’s main source of funding for the war.

Russian officials criticized the intelligence-sharing plan and warned that the possible transfer of Tomahawks would increase risks of escalation. They argued that additional Western weapons would not alter the military balance.

 

Venezuela Accuses US of Provocation After Combat Planes Spotted Near Coast

Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino said Thursday that five US combat planes were detected flying close to the country’s Caribbean coast, calling it a provocation and threat to national security.

Padrino said the information was relayed by an unnamed airline to a control tower.

The Pentagon has not commented.

The US has warships operating in the Caribbean in what Washington describes as an anti-drug mission, which has included strikes on boats it claims were smuggling drugs from Venezuela.

President Nicolás Maduro has accused Washington of pursuing regime change, while US officials, including President Donald Trump, accuse Maduro of overseeing drug trafficking networks, a charge he denies.

 

Belgium Seeks EU Risk-Sharing on Using Frozen Russian Assets for Ukraine Loan

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever urged European Union leaders to guarantee they will share responsibility if frozen Russian assets held in Belgium are used to finance a proposed 140 billion euros ($165 billion) loan for Ukraine.

At a Copenhagen summit, most EU leaders backed the idea but acknowledged unresolved legal and financial risks, since international law forbids outright confiscation of sovereign assets.

Belgium, home to the Euroclear depository holding most Russian central bank funds, fears retaliation from Moscow and personal security threats to Euroclear executives.

The European Commission’s plan would front-load future Russian reparations to fund Ukraine’s defense and budget, but the loan would need guarantees from EU governments and possibly G7 partners.

Russia condemned the proposal as “theft” and threatened a harsh response, while Hungary rejected shared liability.

Germany and others hope for a decision at the next EU summit.

 

Ukraine Secures Return of 205 People in Latest Prisoner Swap with Russia

Ukraine has recovered 185 service members and 20 civilians in a new prisoner exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday.

He said most had been held since 2022 and that over 7,000 Ukrainians have now been returned since the start of Russia’s invasion.

Photos showed the released detainees draped in Ukraine’s blue and yellow flags.

 

Putin Warns of Escalation Over US Missiles, Criticizes NATO and Europe in Sochi Forum

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday to warn that US supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would mark a “new stage of escalation” requiring American military involvement.

Putin dismissed US President Donald Trump’s “paper tiger” remarks about Russia, saying Moscow remains confident while facing NATO as a whole. He condemned the killing of US commentator Charlie Kirk as a sign of US social division, threatened to match nuclear tests if Washington proceeds with them, and rejected extending limits on nuclear warheads if the US refuses.

He also criticized Europe’s “hysteria” and militarization, defended Russia’s energy exports, and labeled France’s seizure of a Russian oil tanker “piracy.”

On Ukraine, he said Russian troops hold the initiative and thanked BRICS partners and others for mediation efforts. He added that Russia could support Trump’s Gaza peace plan if it leads to a two-state solution, while warning against Ukrainian strikes on nuclear plants.

Putin also called Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership “stupid” and said Russia would continue uranium exports to the US despite tensions.

 

Two Killed in Terror Attack Outside Manchester Synagogue on Yom Kippur

An assailant drove a car into worshippers outside an Orthodox synagogue near Manchester on Thursday and then began stabbing people, killing two and injuring four.

Police shot the attacker dead after mistaking a vest he wore for explosives; two other suspects were arrested.

The assault occurred during Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the “vile” attack, pledged increased security at synagogues, and called for national unity. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed condolences.

Police said congregants and security guards prevented the attacker from entering the synagogue, where services were underway.

Authorities declared the incident a terrorist attack.

 

Israeli Strikes Kill 57 in Gaza as Hamas Weighs Trump’s Peace Proposal

Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least 57 Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday, health officials said, as Hamas continued to consider US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the nearly two-year war.

The plan, accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, requires Hamas to disarm, relinquish power, and release 48 remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoner releases and an end to fighting, but it offers no path to statehood. Hamas has indicated some elements are unacceptable.

Hospitals in southern, central, and northern Gaza reported dozens of deaths amid heavy Israeli offensives, while organizers said Israel intercepted most of a flotilla of more than 40 vessels carrying symbolic aid to Gaza. Activists, including Greta Thunberg and European lawmakers, were detained for deportation.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian militant after a car-ramming and shooting attack at an army checkpoint.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 66,200 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, with women and children making up about half. Around 400,000 have fled Gaza City amid Israel’s ongoing offensive.

 

UN Says RSF Killed 91 Civilians in Sudan’s El-Fasher Amid Intensified Fighting

At least 91 civilians were killed in Sudan’s el-Fasher during 10 days of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacks in September, the United Nations reported Thursday.

The city, the army’s last stronghold in Darfur, has faced repeated artillery, drone, and ground strikes despite an ongoing siege. Recent RSF attacks have hit a mosque, market, and residential areas, killing dozens more, including women and children.

The violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with civilians lacking food, medicine, and access to care.

Doctors Without Borders reported a sharp increase in wounded arrivals in Tawila, many suffering from malnutrition, gunshot wounds, and sexual violence.

Aid groups and journalists warned of mounting atrocities as the conflict, which began in 2023, has already killed at least 40,000 and displaced 12 million.

 

Papua New Guinea Approves Defense Pact With Australia Amid Regional Rivalry With China

Papua New Guinea’s Cabinet has approved a bilateral defense treaty with Australia, clearing the way for Prime Minister James Marape and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to sign the landmark pact.

The treaty, only the second of its kind for Australia after the 1951 ANZUS pact, would formalize a defense alliance, commit both countries to respond to armed attacks, and allow Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defense Force as a pathway to citizenship.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening regional security as US allies seek to counter China’s influence in the Pacific.

China’s embassy in Port Moresby criticized the move, warning it should not exclude other partners or target third parties.

Analysts say Papua New Guinea is balancing closer security ties with Western allies while maintaining its economic relationship with Beijing.

The treaty marks Australia’s latest effort to deepen ties with Pacific nations following China’s 2022 security deal with Solomon Islands.

 

Sources: News Agencies