Utah Senator Suggests Allowing 'Pirates' to Take On Cartels: 'Fairly Common at the Time of the American Revolution'

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has suggested that Congress and President Trump should allow private citizens to target international drug cartels to protect national security. Speaking on Fox News's "The Will Cain Show" on Wednesday, Lee said that the U.S. Constitution permits Congress to authorize privateers, historically known as pirates, to engage in activities that would otherwise be considered piracy.

"Authorizing privateers, pirates essentially ... to carry out acts of piracy," he added.

He explained that while Congress has not used this power in centuries, it was "fairly common at the time of the American Revolution, and we have to consider it and perhaps pass one with reference to international drug cartels," he added.

Lee acknowledged that the idea is unlikely to gain immediate traction but argued that it should be considered as an alternative to deploying the U.S. military. He pointed to the risks associated with military engagement at the border and suggested that private actors could intervene in a way that minimizes geopolitical tensions.

It's not the first time that the senator has touched upon this idea. Back in January, he posted a lengthy thread on X explaining that Congress could authorize private security firms or trained civilians to "intercept cartel operations, particularly those involving drug shipments or human trafficking across borders."

He also suggested that privateers could focus on "disrupting supply lines, capturing high-value targets, or seizing assets like boats, vehicles, cash, gold, or equipment used in criminal activities" and argued that using privateers could reduce costs for American taxpayers, as they would be compensated with a portion of the seized assets.

Lee's controversial proposal gained traction among Conservative voices in January including Elon Musk who reposted Lee's idea with the caption: "this would work very fast."

Lee's remarks come amid other controversial statements he has made this week. On Tuesday, he called for the impeachment of federal judges he considers "corrupt," following multiple court rulings that blocked key executive orders issued by President Trump: