London suspends cooperation after reports that American forces targeted unarmed civilian boats in anti-narcotics operations.
The United Kingdom has suspended all intelligence sharing with the Trump administration in the Caribbean. British defense officials say they will not assist in operations that involve the killing of civilians or unarmed crews at sea. The suspension marks a sharp break in U.S.-U.K. security cooperation, and it comes amid growing concern inside NATO about Washington’s recent conduct.
For decades, Britain’s regional networks have provided the United States with maritime intelligence. That information was used to intercept boats suspected of smuggling drugs through the Caribbean corridor. The usual protocol was simple: intercept, board, detain, and seize. But in the past two months, the Trump administration has shifted to a policy of lethal engagement. Boats are now being hit with missiles or gunfire before any search or warning.
U.S. Central Command has confirmed 19 separate strikes since September, targeting 20 vessels. Independent observers and the U.N. Human Rights Office say at least 75 people have been killed. Many of the victims were Venezuelan or Colombian fishermen. Their vessels showed no evidence of carrying drugs or weapons. Washington claims the boats were tied to criminal syndicates such as Tren de Aragua and Colombia’s ELN. No public evidence has been presented.
British intelligence officers in the region began raising concerns in early October. They informed London that U.S. forces were acting on incomplete data and ignoring identification procedures. After several weeks of internal debate, the U.K. National Security Council ordered a freeze on data-sharing. Officials in Whitehall told CNN the pause began more than a month ago and would remain until there is proof that the operations comply with international law.
Trump administration officials insist the killings are part of a broader campaign against narcoterrorism. They have accused Venezuela of exporting fentanyl, a claim that has been dismissed by nearly all regional analysts. Fentanyl production and trafficking routes are centered in Mexico, not South America. According to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration data, more than 80 percent of those arrested for fentanyl trafficking in 2023 and 2024 were U.S. citizens.
The narrative of “Venezuelan fentanyl” appears to be a pretext for aggressive action against Nicolás Maduro’s government. The same talking points are being used by the White House to justify wider military activity in the Caribbean. Legal experts, including former U.S. State Department adviser Harold Koh, have said the strikes have no lawful authority. They warn the campaign could mark a major test of international norms under Trump’s second term.
The break with Britain is significant. London has been one of Washington’s most reliable intelligence partners since World War II. A rupture in that channel over legality and civilian harm is not a symbolic gesture, it is a statement of limits. For now, Britain’s decision signals that at least one U.S. ally is unwilling to follow this course of action any further.
Authored By: Global Geopolitics
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