The Trump administration is facing mounting pressure from lawmakers after ordering a U.S. military strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug-running vessel in the Caribbean Sea last week, with critics questioning whether the president has the authority to act without congressional approval.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders on Sept. 4, obtained by the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump said the Sept. 2 strike was carried out against a vessel “assessed to be affiliated with a designated terrorist organization and to be engaged in illicit drug trafficking activities.” He framed the action as self-defense under his Article II powers, writing that drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations “have reached a critical point where we must meet this threat to our citizens and our most vital national interests with United States military force.”
Trump added that it is “not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that will be necessary,” and said U.S. forces remain postured for further strikes.
The administration’s justification has sparked a sharp debate on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers had been scheduled to receive a classified briefing on Friday, but it was canceled without explanation. According to congressional sources, senators have not been briefed as of Monday night, further inflaming demands for oversight.
The issue also spilled into public view over the weekend when Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Vice President JD Vance traded barbs online. Paul accused the White House of “executive overreach” and warned that unilateral military action against suspected drug boats could spiral into unauthorized war. Vance countered that Trump’s actions were justified and said Congress should “stand with the president against cartels poisoning our communities.”
JD “I don’t give a shit” Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the “highest and best use of the military.”
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2025
Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?
Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??… https://t.co/VdnJbZkGfS
Adding fuel to the fire, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) weighed in on X, accusing Paul of justifying “foreign terrorist drug traffickers who are directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans in Kentucky and Ohio.” He added, “JD understands that our first responsibility is to protect the life and liberty of American citizens.”
Paul said Monday he had not heard from the White House or the vice president since the exchange and pressed for answers at the Capitol. He cautioned that even routine law enforcement operations can go tragically wrong, and that the risks are even greater when the military is used abroad. “We have problems even when we’re careful, but here we’re just assuming there’ll be no problems from blowing up boats. Does anybody know these people’s names? Is there any evidence presented?” Paul said.
He also cast doubt on whether the vessel was ever headed for U.S. shores, pointing to logistical implausibilities. “How is a boat with four outboard engines going to go 2,700 miles across the ocean? I think in more likelihood, these drugs were not even intended for the United States. It could have been for any of dozens of islands down there, if there were drugs,” he said.
Some Republicans find themselves torn, with many defending the president’s authority while others, behind closed doors, question whether Congress is being cut out of decisions that could drag the U.S. into a wider conflict.
“I trust the president and the administration, but I don’t like that we’ve been left in the dark,” one GOP senator said on the condition of anonymity. “I hope we get some answers soon.”
Democrats are voicing similar frustrations. Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) said he has not been briefed on the strike despite requesting information. A former national security adviser at the Pentagon and the State Department, Kim argued the administration must clarify the limits of its authority.
“As someone who worked in national security, I understand the constitutional authorities we’ve granted the executive,” Kim told the Washington Examiner. “We need to hear straight from this administration whether they intend to respect those limitations.”
Kim added that even a week into September, senators remain in the dark about what happened and why Congress was not consulted. “I have a very strong understanding of the left and right limits of what we’re allowed to do based off of the authorities given by Congress,” he said. “Right now, I just want to make sure we get that briefing, and soon.”
Other Democrats are also raising alarms. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, confirmed he also had not been briefed as of Monday evening and had previously cautioned that violating international law could “come back and hurt those sailors” involved in future operations.
House Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee issued a joint statement condemning the strike, accusing Trump of “expanding wars, not ending them” and demanding that the White House provide a clear legal rationale before further action.
TRUMP’S ‘DRUG VESSEL’ STRIKE SEEN AS WARNING TO SMUGGLERS AND MADURO
War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine made an unannounced trip to Puerto Rico on Monday, days after the U.S. military strike off Venezuela’s coast that killed 11 alleged “narco-terrorists.” Their visit followed reports that the Pentagon had repositioned ten F-35 fighter jets to the island amid escalating tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Puerto Rico’s governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, acknowledged the meeting publicly, writing on X that she was “honored to welcome” the pair.
David Sivak contributed to this report.
