President Donald Trump has determined that the United States is engaged in a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist organizations, directing the Department of War to conduct operations against them, according to a notice sent to Congress. The White House informed Congress of this determination, which was announced on October 2nd, 2025, within the reporting window of 7:41 PM to 8:08 PM UTC. The notice refers to individuals recently killed by the U.S. military on suspicion of drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea as "unlawful combatants."
