Kentucky Senator Rand Paul warned Tuesday that the Trump administration’s intensified military strikes on alleged drug vessels are pushing the United States toward a full-blown conflict with Venezuela.
Breaking with the White House, the libertarian-leaning Republican characterized the recent operations as a “prelude to war” and urged a de-escalation of hostilities against the Maduro regime.
The controversy centers on a September 2 strike in the Caribbean and a subsequent attack on survivors, which Paul denounced as “clearly illegal.”
He argued that the aggressive posture contradicts President Trump’s previous stances against regime change and offensive wars. “Hopefully there’ll be enough of an uproar over this that will slow down the drumbeats,” Paul told reporters.
READ: “Fog of War”: Hegseth Defends Disputed Caribbean Strike As Congress Demands Answers
The incident has fractured GOP unity in the Senate. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis joined Paul in demanding accountability, calling the decision to target survivors a “violation of ethical, moral, and legal code.”
Conversely, Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt fiercely defended the administration, dismissing allegations of war crimes as “total bullsh*t” and backing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s strategy to eliminate “narcoterrorists.”
While the administration maintains the strikes are necessary to stop drugs from poisoning Americans—a stance supported by 53% of adults in recent polling—Paul insists the White House has failed to provide sufficient proof that the targeted vessels were trafficking narcotics.
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