The White House downplayed assertions that it has declared war on drug cartels, according to a new report.

The comments come after the New York Times reported on a memo President Donald Trump sent to Congress saying the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels. The language was designed to give Trump extraordinary powers to combat the cartel's activities, including using military force, according to a new report by Politico.

A White House spokesperson described the memo to Politico as merely "legal record-keeping."

"As we have said many times, the president acted in line with the law of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring deadly poison to our shores, and he is delivering on his promise to take on the cartels and eliminate these national security threats from murdering more Americans,” the spokesperson said.

Last month, the Trump administration ordered two strikes against alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. Administration officials have said the boats were headed to the United States, thereby justifying the strike. Democrats have criticized the scant evidence offered by the administration to justify their decision.

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