Senate Republicans blocked a war powers resolution on Thursday that sought to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. The vote preserved the administration’s ongoing operations targeting Venezuelan drug routes believed to be fueling narcotics flow into the United States.
The resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, (D-CA) and Sen. Rand Paul, (R-KY), aimed to halt the strikes and require congressional approval for further military action in the region. Kaine argued the Constitution requires debate and authorization before U.S. forces engage in hostilities. Only Paul and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK), broke with most Republicans to support the measure.
President Trump defended his decision to authorize CIA-led operations in the Caribbean, saying Venezuela had “emptied their prisons into the United States of America” and that narcotics continued to flow in by sea. “We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea,” Trump said. “So, you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”
According to officials, the administration has carried out 16 strikes so far, resulting in the deaths of 66 individuals suspected of drug trafficking. The president also ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to the region to reinforce operations.
After a classified briefing from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair James Risch, R-Idaho, said he was “fully satisfied” with the administration’s justification, adding, “The president really ought to be congratulated for saving the lives of young American people.”
