Jim Himes warns GOP that ‘President' AOC could target foes if they back strikes on narcoterrorists

Rep Jim Himes condemned President Donald Trump’s 'illegal' US strikes on suspected drug traffickers, offering a startling hypothetical scenario
PUBLISHED OCT 30, 2025
Jim Himes used Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as an example to highlight the danger of normalizing illegal killings for political gain (MSNBC, Getty Images)
Jim Himes used Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as an example to highlight the danger of normalizing illegal killings for political gain (MSNBC, Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic Rep Jim Himes of Connecticut warned Republicans during an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday, October 29, that Democratic Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York could kill any of her enemies as president if GOP leaders continue to justify airstrikes on narco-terrorists.

His remarks followed reports that President Donald Trump’s administration had carried out airstrikes against ships linked to designated terrorist groups in the Caribbean Sea to stop illegal drugs from reaching US shores. Himes condemned the strikes as illegal and compared them to the hypothetical murder of a Democrat’s political opponents during an interview on MSNBC’s 'Chris Jansing Reports.'

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he delivers remarks during the APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center on October 29, 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea. Trump is in South Korea for the APEC meetings, following an appearance at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, and a trip to Japan, where he called on Japanese Emperor Naruhito and new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump reacts as he delivers remarks during the APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center on October 29, 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Jim Himes claims MAGA’s support for illegal killings could backfire

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) departs from a town hall gathering on May 2, 2025 in New York City. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has been traveling across the United States with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on his
Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) departs from a town hall gathering on May 2, 2025 in New York City. US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has been traveling across the United States with Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on his 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

In a recent episode of MSNBC’s 'Chris Jansing Reports,' host Chris Jansing played a clip of Senator Lindsey Graham’s earlier remarks in which he claimed that many Americans support President Donald Trump’s decision to kill suspected drug traffickers.

In the clip, Graham said, “I love this debate. The president has all the authority in the world and if you want to fight over this, let’s fight over this. I think most Americans are going to be with Trump."

The clip set off Jim Himes, who responded with a warning involving AOC. Himes said, “It’s beneath [Graham] to say what he just said. He knows, as well as I do, there is no legal authorization for these strikes. There isn’t."

He continued, “If Lindsey Graham and other Republicans want to go the route of saying ‘it’s okay to kill people illegally, just so long as the American public supports it,’ the American public needs to really think that through, you know?”

Himes added, “There will be a Democratic president someday. And all my MAGA friends who are cheering on these illegal killings need to imagine who gets killed when President Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says that it doesn’t matter what the law is, she’s going to do what she’s going to do.”

Himes went on to say that Graham’s comments represented “a complete abnegation of principle” and “a thumbing of the nose at the rule of law,” adding that the senator’s remarks had gone too far.

US military carries out strike against ships carrying narcotics



Jim Himes made his comments live on air shortly after the US military carried out a strike against an alleged drug vessel, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday, October 29.

The strike, which took place on Tuesday, October 28 targeted a boat reportedly carrying narcotics along a Pacific Ocean route, killing two suspected terrorists, Hegseth confirmed in a social media post.

Pete Hegeth stated, "Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific."

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - FEBRUARY 13: US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference held with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. NATO Defence Ministers are convening in Brussels for a meeting chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Also in attendance is US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking the first visit to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. High on the agenda for the allies will be ascertaining how the US intends to influence the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, as the conflict nears the third anniversary since Russia's full-scale invasion. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference held with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

He added, "The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route, and carrying narcotics. Both terrorists were killed and no US forces were harmed in this strike."

This marks the eighth known time the Trump administration has targeted suspected drug vessels in international waters. Hegeth shared, "Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores, will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere. Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people. There will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.”

On October 22, a strike on a boat allegedly carrying narcotics along a Pacific route killed two terrorists, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Earlier, on October 17, the military struck a vessel linked to the Ejército de Liberación Nacional, a US-designated terrorist group, killing three people. Hegseth confirmed the operation two days later, on October 19. Another suspected cartel boat was destroyed off the coast of Venezuela on October 3, killing all four men on board.

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