WASHINGTON — Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stood firm in his defense of recent military strikes on boats suspected of being operated by drug cartels. Hegseth emphasized that President Donald Trump holds the authority to initiate military actions deemed necessary for national defense.

Addressing the mounting criticism surrounding these strikes, which have resulted in over 80 fatalities and raised legal concerns, Hegseth argued that the operations are essential for safeguarding American lives. He drew parallels between this campaign and the post-9/11 war on terror, underscoring its importance.

“If you are affiliated with a terrorist organization and attempt to bring drugs into our country, rest assured, we will intercept and eliminate the threat,” Hegseth declared during his keynote speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum. “President Trump is prepared to take decisive military steps to protect our national interests, and no nation should doubt our resolve.”

The latest strike has increased the campaign’s death toll to at least 87 individuals. In response, lawmakers are demanding a clearer explanation of the attacks and their legal basis, particularly questioning whether U.S. forces conducted a follow-up strike after being aware of survivors from a prior incident in September.

Although Hegseth equated the suspected drug traffickers to Al-Qaida operatives, experts have pointed out notable distinctions between these adversaries and the strategies employed to combat them.

Hegseth’s comments coincided with the Trump administration’s release of a new national security strategy. This policy document criticizes the perceived weaknesses of European allies and seeks to reassert U.S. influence within the Western Hemisphere.

During the speech, Hegseth also discussed the need to check China’s rise through strength instead of conflict. He repeated Trump’s vow to resume nuclear testing on an equal basis as China and Russia – a goal that has alarmed many nuclear arms experts. China and Russia haven’t conducted explosive tests in decades, though the Kremlin said it would follow the U.S. if Trump restarted tests.

The speech was delivered at the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in California, an event which brings together top national security experts from around the country. Hegseth used the visit to argue that Trump is Reagan’s “true and rightful heir” when it comes to muscular foreign policy.

By contrast, Hegseth criticized Republican leaders in the years since Reagan for supporting wars in the Middle East and democracy-building efforts that didn’t work. He also blasted those who have argued that climate change poses serious challenges to military readiness.

“The war department will not be distracted by democracy building, interventionism, undefined wars, regime change, climate change, woke moralizing and feckless nation building,” he said.