Bipartisan senators call on Hegseth to release strike orders on alleged drug boats in Caribbean
In a significant development regarding U.S. military operations against drug trafficking in the Caribbean, Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) have formally called on Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to provide crucial documentation related to recent strikes on boats allegedly transporting narco-terrorists. The bipartisan duo sent two letters to Hegseth, the first dated September 23, emphasizing the Pentagon’s legal obligation to submit copies of military orders to Congress within 15 days of their issuance. The senators expressed their frustration that the Department of Defense has not complied with this requirement, highlighting the importance of congressional oversight in military operations. Their second letter, sent on October 6, requests a legal opinion from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel regarding the domestic and international legal justifications for these strikes, which have been a point of contention among lawmakers.
The strikes, which have reportedly resulted in the deaths of 61 individuals since September, have raised serious legal and ethical questions. Critics from both parties, including Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), have voiced concerns about the potential violations of international law and the risks of collateral damage. Warner criticized the Trump administration for excluding Democrats from briefings on the strikes, calling the decision “indefensible and dangerous.” Meanwhile, Paul has highlighted the possibility of wrongful deaths, citing Coast Guard statistics indicating that many boarded vessels may be innocent. The ongoing military actions have also drawn attention to the administration’s broader strategy against Venezuela, particularly in light of allegations linking drug trafficking to Venezuelan criminal organizations such as the Tren de Aragua gang. The Pentagon’s refusal to disclose the identities of those killed or evidence of drug trafficking on the targeted boats further complicates the narrative surrounding these strikes, raising questions about transparency and accountability in U.S. military operations.
As the situation evolves, the senators’ push for oversight reflects a growing concern among lawmakers about the implications of unilateral military action in the region. The calls for clarity and legal justification underscore the delicate balance between combating drug trafficking and adhering to legal norms. With ongoing discussions about the potential escalation of military engagement in Venezuela, the stakes of these operations are high, and the demand for accountability from Congress remains paramount as the U.S. navigates its approach to narco-terrorism in the Caribbean.
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A bipartisan pair of senators are calling on Pentagon chief
Pete Hegseth
to hand over copies of the orders issued to strike boats in the Caribbean allegedly carrying narco-terrorists.
Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., released two letters they sent to Hegseth in recent weeks in response to the repeated strikes on suspected drug boats.
The first letter, which was issued on Sept. 23, explained the legal requirements for congressional oversight over the military’s executed orders, including that congressional defense committees must be provided copies of the orders within 15 days of being issued.
“Unfortunately, the Department has not complied with this requirement,” the letter reads.
HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS
The second letter, issued on Oct. 6, seeks a written opinion from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on the domestic or international legal basis for conducting the strikes and related operations.
Reports indicate that the OLC produced a legal opinion justifying the strikes, which numerous lawmakers have been demanding in recent weeks.
The senators’ letter also asked for a complete list “of all designated terrorist organizations and drug trafficking organizations with whom the President has determined the United States is in a non-international armed conflict and against whom lethal military force may be used.”
“To date, these documents have not been submitted,” Reed’s office said in a news release on Friday.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have urged the
Trump administration
to release information related to the strikes.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the administration on Thursday after it excluded Democrats from briefings on the strikes, a move he called “indefensible and dangerous.”
SEN WARNER BLASTS TRUMP ADMIN FOR EXCLUDING DEMOCRATS FROM BRIEFINGS ON BOAT STRIKES: ‘DEEPLY TROUBLING’
On Wednesday, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also penned a letter demanding to review the legal justification behind the series of boat strikes they say appear to violate several laws.
“Drug trafficking is a terrible crime that has had devastating impacts on American families and communities and should be prosecuted. Nonetheless, the President’s actions to hold alleged drug traffickers accountable must still conform with the law,” the letter states.
The strikes have also garnered scrutiny from Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.
Paul has cited
Coast Guard
statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.
The senator has also argued that if the administration plans to engage in a war with Venezuela after it has targeted boats it claims are transporting drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it must seek a declaration of war from Congress.
In the House, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has made similar statements.
A report published on Friday suggested the U.S. military was planning to strike military installations in Venezuela, but President
Donald Trump
and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the report was inaccurate.
This comes as Hegseth announced the U.S. military on Wednesday struck another boat carrying alleged narco-terrorists. The strikes were carried out in the Eastern Pacific region at the direction of Trump, killing four men on board.
That was the 14th strike on suspected drug boats since September. A total of 61 people have reportedly been killed while three survived, including at least two who were later repatriated to their home countries.
The Pentagon
has refused to release the identities of those killed or evidence that drugs were on board.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
