For years, it felt like the United States had stepped away from the old “war on drugs.” The focus had shifted toward treatment, public health, and rolling back extremely harsh penalties that fell disproportionately on vulnerable communities. But watching recent actions from the Trump administration, I can clearly see that an entirely new phase of that old conflict has opened up.
This time, the administration is framing drug cartels as “narco-terrorists” and using that label to justify aggressive military operations against alleged traffickers in Latin America. Boats suspected of carrying drugs are being targeted at sea. The strategy is being tied not only to crime but also to broader geopolitical aims, including pressure on the Venezuelan government.
To understand how this fits into the long history of U.S. drug policy, I’ve looked back at how previous administrations handled these issues.
A new front in a very old war
Even though Nixon is remembered for launching the “war on drugs” in the 1970s, the phrase was more rhetorical than literal back then. It described a political campaign, not a true military conflict. But what I see now is very different: direct military actions, operations that look nothing like the metaphorical battle of earlier decades.
Under Nixon, two main strategies defined the effort. First, the government tried to stop drugs from entering the country by pressuring producers abroad. Second, the government eventually escalated efforts to punish users and small-time dealers at home. By the 1980s and 1990s, incarceration became the primary tool for fighting drug abuse. Rehabilitation and prevention took a back seat.
In recent years, public health approaches finally gained more attention. States decriminalized cannabis. Treatment programs expanded. Many believed the punitive era of the drug war had finally ended.
But the current administration has revived the old supply-side model, shifting attention to foreign targets and military force. What makes this moment unique is the scale and directness of the actions being taken.
How the U.S. has handled drug operations before
The United States has long tried to stop drugs before they reach our borders, sometimes working closely with foreign governments, sometimes operating alone. In past decades, the military was used in limited ways, mainly in support roles. There were discussions about sinking drug boats or using airstrikes, but those ideas never advanced far.
George H.W. Bush explored similar options in the late 1980s, including harsher penalties and expanded military involvement. But even then, there were limits. Actions were coordinated with allies, not carried out unilaterally.
Compared to those earlier debates, what I’m watching now feels far more forceful. The intent appears to be not just interdiction but outright destruction of suspected trafficking vessels.
Looking deeper into the roots of the drug war
The U.S. has been trying to block drug shipments from overseas for more than a century. The scale increased dramatically after World War II. Since then, every branch of government has been involved: intelligence agencies, law enforcement, the military, and diplomatic channels.
What makes the present moment unusual is the open embrace of extra-judicial tactics. The long history of interdiction has rarely involved the level of violence now being authorized.
There have been moments where U.S. policy blurred lines. In the 1980s, anti-Sandinista forces in Nicaragua were allowed to engage in drug trafficking with minimal interference because they were considered allies. The U.S. maintained a cooperative relationship with Manuel Noriega in Panama despite his heavy involvement in narcotics until political priorities changed and the U.S. eventually removed him from power.
Those examples show how drug policy often intersects with larger political goals. Today’s focus on Venezuela follows that same pattern.
A return many didn’t expect
For most of the past decade, the drug war seemed to be winding down. Reform efforts grew, incarceration rates began to decline, and public opinion moved toward health-based approaches. More states legalized cannabis, and there was a growing recognition that punishment alone wasn’t solving anything.
But despite these shifts, the problem of drug demand never disappeared. Every time one drug lost prominence, another took its place. Illegal opioids were replaced by prescription abuse, then synthetic drugs became widespread. Treatment programs expanded, but addiction and overdose rates continued to rise.
Now the government is once again focusing on the supply side with far greater intensity. The new strategy does not resemble the mass incarceration model of previous decades. Instead, it revives the idea that foreign actors should be confronted militarily.
Looking at Trump’s first term, sentencing reform stood out as a major bipartisan accomplishment. But today’s operations signal a very different direction. Rather than domestic criminal justice policies, the emphasis is on force projection abroad, reminiscent of earlier eras of American gunboat diplomacy.
The politics of drugs remain powerful
There has always been a divide in how drug issues are framed. On the one hand, addiction is treated as a health problem requiring compassion and support. On the other hand, drug trafficking is portrayed as a threat that must be crushed through extreme measures.
Drug policy has long served as a potent political tool. Nixon recognized early on that fears about drug use among young people could mobilize voters. Governors like Nelson Rockefeller pushed for some of the harshest drug laws in the country because it was politically advantageous.
Decade after decade, leaders have discovered that talking tough on drugs plays well with certain audiences. That dynamic hasn’t changed.
Today, Trump frequently cites drug trafficking when discussing immigration or foreign policy. While the motivations are broader than simple vote-seeking, the political impact is undeniable. The rhetoric resonates with a significant portion of the public, and the aggressive actions abroad demonstrate a willingness to go beyond past administrations.
As I watch this new chapter unfold, it feels like the war on drugs has resurfaced in a form that blends old strategies with new levels of military force. The long-term consequences are still unclear, but the shift is undeniable.