"Doesn't give a sh*t": JD Vance defends US strike that killed 11 on Venezuelan boat

US Vice President JD Vance has bluntly defended a deadly US military strike that sank a suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, killing 11 people, declaring he “doesn’t give a s**t” if critics call it a war crime.

“Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military,” Vance wrote on X on Saturday. His remark came after political commentator Brian Krassenstein condemned the strike as unlawful, saying, “Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.” To this, Vance hit back: “I don’t give a s**t what you call it.”

I don’t give a shit what you call it

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 6, 2025

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The strike, announced earlier by US President Donald Trump, targeted a “drug-carrying” vessel that departed Venezuela. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the boat was operated by Tren de Aragua, a designated narco-terrorist group. The attack has further escalated tensions with Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of pursuing “regime change” and warned he was ready to “declare a republic in arms” if attacked.

Krassenstein and other critics argued the killings could amount to extrajudicial executions under international law. “Imagine if Venezuela decided to bomb a boat driving from Maryland to New York City, which had 11 Americans and a bunch of drugs in it. What would be your response?” Krassenstein asked.

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The vice president has since faced a wave of backlash online. One user quoted scripture at him, reminding Vance, a Catholic, that “Murder is wrong,” while others accused him of committing “sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance.”