Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s authorization of military strikes on suspected drug boats, calling the actions illegal and outside the bounds of constitutional war powers. Appearing Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Paul warned that Trump’s policy risks killing innocent people and bypasses essential legal checks.
Host Kristen Welker asked Paul whether the strikes—reportedly responsible for more than 20 deaths across six incidents—were lawful. Paul responded bluntly: “No, they go against all of our tradition.” He emphasized that targeting individuals without knowing their identities or having legal evidence of a crime defies longstanding norms.
“For decades, when you stop people at sea, you board the ship and inspect for contraband,” Paul said. He referenced Coast Guard data showing that roughly 25% of boarded vessels turn out to be clean. “If our policy now is to blow up every ship we suspect or accuse of drug running… 25% of the people might be innocent.”
Paul also raised concerns about the geographic reach of these operations, noting that many of the vessels were thousands of miles from U.S. shores and more likely headed to other countries, such as Trinidad or Tobago. “The idea of them coming here is a huge assumption,” he said, challenging the threat justification.
He warned that authorizing such lethal force without congressional approval edges the country closer to war. “In war, you don’t ask people’s names… but if they want all-out war… that has to have a declaration of war,” Paul stated. He reaffirmed his opposition to war with Venezuela and insisted Congress should be the body to make that decision.
Paul’s remarks underscore ongoing tension over executive war powers and the legality of military action conducted without congressional oversight—an issue that has divided lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
