A new report has revealed that President Donald Trump approved a covert military operation inside North Korea in 2019 without informing Congress. The mission, now exposed, has sparked sharp debate about legality and oversight.
According to the New York Times, Trump signed off on a plan involving SEAL Team 6’s Red Squadron. This is the same elite group that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan back in 2011.
The operation’s goal was to secretly place an electronic device near the shores of North Korea. The device was designed to intercept the private communications of leader Kim Jong Un, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Government and military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the mission quickly went wrong. A small civilian boat approached the team’s mini-subs during the operation and compromised the plan.
The American team opened fire, killing two or possibly three passengers aboard the boat. Officials later said the victims were most likely civilians who had been out diving for shellfish.
New York Times reporters Dave Philipps and Matthew Cole documented the account, based on interviews with more than two dozen officials. All sources requested their identities remain hidden for security reasons.
Legal experts have said the operation raised serious questions about international law. Entering North Korean territory without consent was seen as a breach of sovereignty, while the killing of civilians added further controversy.
More troubling, according to the report, was that Trump did not notify key lawmakers who oversee intelligence matters. U.S. law requires briefing select members of Congress about such sensitive missions.
“The Trump administration did not notify key members of Congress before or after the mission,” the report said. “The lack of notification may have violated the law.” The White House at the time declined to respond.
Matthew Waxman, professor of law at Columbia University, told the New York Times the situation showed why oversight matters. “The point is to ensure that Congress isn’t kept in the dark when major stuff is going on,” Waxman said.
He added, “This is exactly the kind of thing that would normally be briefed to the committees and something the committees would expect to be told about.” His comments highlighted the seriousness of the secrecy.
The episode took place during a period when Trump was also attempting to broker peace with North Korea through public gestures. That year, he became the first U.S. president to set foot on North Korean soil.
At the time, Trump’s supporters praised his approach as bold diplomacy, while critics called it a political show. The covert mission, now revealed, stands in sharp contrast to that public image of outreach.
Trump’s efforts to deal directly with Kim Jong Un drew global attention. Yet, the covert operation suggests that behind the scenes, the White House was taking far more aggressive steps.
Some officials described Trump’s actions as reckless, saying they put American lives and international stability at risk. Others said presidents do have wide powers to order covert action but usually share details with Congress.
The Pentagon and intelligence agencies have not commented publicly on the failed mission. Current officials have also refused to say whether similar operations are still ongoing in North Korea.
The disclosure has reopened questions about presidential power, military secrecy, and limits on executive authority. Lawmakers are now under pressure to review how covert missions are approved and supervised.
Critics argue that failing to inform Congress weakens checks and balances meant to protect democracy. Supporters of Trump, however, claim the president had full authority to act in the nation’s security interests.
The deaths of civilians during the mission remain one of the most disturbing aspects of the story. Human rights experts said the incident could be seen as an extrajudicial killing under international law.
As debate grows, legal scholars continue to warn about long-term risks of unchecked presidential authority. The North Korea case may now become a test point for how much secrecy is acceptable in American democracy, According to rawstory.
