The U.S. military blew up a speedboat in international waters near Venezuela on Sept. 2, killing all 11 people on board. President Donald Trump claimed that the boat was operated by Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, smuggling drugs. Trump has repeatedly shown that his word isn’t trustworthy, but even giving him the benefit of the doubt, it’s an unprecedented action for a U.S. president, asserting powers far beyond those utilized in the war on terror.

Unlike even the most controversial drone strikes, this attack fired on a nonthreatening target in a nonhostile environment on purpose, when other means, such as capture, were easily doable.

The U.S. military blew up a speedboat in international waters near Venezuela on Sept. 2, killing all 11 people on board. President Donald Trump claimed that the boat was operated by Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, smuggling drugs. Trump has repeatedly shown that his word isn’t trustworthy, but even giving him the benefit of the doubt, it’s an unprecedented action for a U.S. president, asserting powers far beyond those utilized in the war on terror.

Unlike even the most controversial drone strikes, this attack fired on a nonthreatening target in a nonhostile environment on purpose, when other means, such as capture, were easily doable.

The drone campaign against al Qaeda and associated terrorists was authorized by the U.S. Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Presidents stretched that authorization for the use of military force to include other terrorist groups—such as the Islamic State, which didn’t exist in 2001—but not drug cartels.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration designated as terrorists Tren de Aragua and another Venezuelan group, Cartel de los Soles, absurdly calling Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro the leader of both. Maybe this Supreme Court will eventually decide that Trump can define “terrorist” to mean whatever he........

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