The White House has made no legal argument explaining its bald claim that the president has wartime power to summarily kill people suspected of smuggling drugs. This lack of explanation has drawn immediate criticism from legal scholars and members of Congress, who argue that the claim is a dangerous expansion of executive authority.
Legal analysts are now scrutinizing whether the president’s assertion is grounded in any constitutional provision or legal precedent. Without a clear legal basis, critics warn that such a claim could erode the rule of law and justify unchecked power in times of crisis. This issue has also sparked a broader debate on the limits of presidential authority in domestic affairs.