After much frustration in Congress about a lack of transparency about the operation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hesgeth, briefed members of the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday about strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats off Venezuela.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted about an hour, included congressional leaders from both parties and senior members of national security committees. Rubio and Hegseth discussed the series of U.S. operations across the Caribbean and Pacific that have destroyed several vessels and killed dozens of people since September.
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President Donald Trump’s administration has defended the strikes as a key measure to disrupt drug trafficking routes to the United States. Administration officials reportedly told lawmakers that the targeted boats were carrying cocaine, not fentanyl, and provided what they described as a clear legal justification for the military action.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence in the intelligence supporting the operations. “What I know from what I’ve learned so far, we have high reliability. These are the cartels. These are the people involved in it. They are doing this deliberately. These are not people who are haphazardly on a boat. They are intending to traffic into the country, and it does great harm to the American people,” Johnson said, adding that the intelligence was “exquisite.”
While many Republicans voiced support for the administration’s approach, critics, including legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, warned that the strikes could violate both international law and U.S. laws prohibiting extrajudicial killings and assassination.
The operations have also deepened diplomatic rifts in the region. Tensions between Washington and Caracas have intensified as Trump ordered a broader military buildup near Venezuelan waters, vowing to continue strikes against “drug-related targets” inside the country.
The fallout has not been limited to Venezuela. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a long-time U.S. ally, has openly clashed with Trump over the attacks, which reportedly claimed several Colombian lives. In response, Trump imposed sanctions on Petro’s government, further straining relations.
Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the administration for its lack of transparency. He said the failure to clearly explain the legal basis for the strikes had “damaged the confidence of the American public and our partners in Latin America.” Warner previously blasted the administration for holding a classified briefing that excluded Democratic lawmakers.
The strikes, which have so far killed at least 60 people, have become one of the most contentious elements of the administration’s regional policy, raising questions not only about legality and oversight but also about America’s expanding military footprint in Latin America.
