Drones Under Trump

Stimson Center Events

Featuring: Waleed Alharari, Head of New York Office, Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies Luke Hartig, Executive Director, National Journal's Network Science Initiative Alex Moorehead, Director, Project on Counterterrorism, Armed Conflict and Human Rights, Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute Rachel Stohl, Senior Associate, Conventional Defense Program, Stimson Center In the first nine months of his administration, President Trump has demonstrated a willingness to resort to the use of lethal force in response to a variety of global security challenges. Since taking office, the Trump administration has increased the use of armed drones in counterterrorism operations outside of declared war zones. The use of armed drones remains one of the most controversial aspects of U.S. counterterrorism policy. Though the Obama administration introduced several initiatives to increase transparency of the U.S. drone program near the end of its tenure, the Trump administration is rolling back some of these policies. Thus far, the Trump administration has relaxed some policies guiding the use of force and delegated more strike authority to the military and may seek to broaden the CIA’s role in conducting lethal strikes. These actions have raised concerns about the levels of secrecy surrounding the U.S. drone program and renewed questions about transparency, accountability, and effective oversight of U.S. lethal operations abroad.