Sen Warner slams Trump for excluding Democrats from briefings on boat strikes

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., criticized the Trump administration for excluding Democrats from briefings on U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the move “indefensible and dangerous.”

“Shutting Democrats out of a briefing on U.S. military strikes and withholding the legal justification for those strikes from half the Senate is indefensible and dangerous,” Warner said in a statement. He emphasized that decisions about the use of American military force are not meant to be partisan tools but should be approached with the seriousness they deserve.

HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS

Warner denounced the administration’s actions as a “slap in the face” to Congress’ war powers responsibilities and to the military personnel involved. He also raised concerns about the dangerous precedent such exclusion could set.

Reports suggest that the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued a legal opinion justifying the strikes, a document that Democrats have been requesting to review.

The Pentagon defended its actions, stating that the “appropriate” committees were briefed on the strikes.

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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the U.S. military struck another boat carrying people he claims were narco-terrorists. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have also demanded to review the legal justification behind the boat strikes, citing concerns about potential violations of laws.

President Trump’s actions to combat drug trafficking have faced criticism not only from Democrats but also from members of his own party. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., expressed worries about the lack of due process and the potential harm to innocent individuals.

Paul highlighted statistics showing that a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking turn out to be innocent. He emphasized the need for any military action against Venezuela to be constitutionally approved by Congress.

The Pentagon claimed that the “appropriate” committees were briefed on the strikes. (Reuters)

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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth confirmed that the U.S. military conducted another strike on a boat carrying alleged narco-terrorists. This latest strike marks the 14th operation targeting suspected drug boats since September.

Despite the ongoing strikes, questions remain about the identities of those killed and the presence of drugs on board the vessels.