The U.S. Senate on Wednesday narrowly blocked a motion seeking to end President Donald Trump’s use of the military to destroy boats allegedly carrying Venezuelan drug traffickers unless he gets authorisation from Congress.
The proposal, led by Democratic Senators Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia, and supported by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, failed by a vote of 48–51. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only other Republican to back the measure, which would have advanced the legislation for a full Senate vote.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that allowing unchecked military strikes in the Caribbean could destabilise the region.
“Using the U.S. military to conduct unchecked strikes in the Caribbean risks destabilising the region, provoking confrontation with neighbouring governments and drawing our forces into yet another open-ended conflict,” Reed said.
However, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, defended Trump’s actions, saying the president was fulfilling a campaign promise.
“President Trump stated very clearly and repeatedly during the campaign that he would attack these cartels if necessary. This is simply him keeping his word to the American people,” Cotton said, insisting the operations were lawful and limited in scope.
According to U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the military has carried out at least four strikes in the Caribbean Sea against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs, the most recent on October 3 off the Venezuelan coast. At least four people were killed in that attack, while U.S. officials said a total of 21 unidentified individuals have been killed so far.
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Senator Kaine disclosed that during a classified Senate briefing last week, the administration failed to justify why the military had been ordered to destroy suspected drug boats rather than intercept them. He and Schiff expressed concern that some of the strikes could have targeted innocent civilians, including victims of human trafficking.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the latest vessel bombed by U.S. forces was Colombian, with nationals on board, though details about the victims remain unclear.
Traditionally, counter-drug operations in the region have been conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, the country’s principal maritime law enforcement agency, rather than the military.
