US senators want answers on ‘anti-drug’ strategy as Venezuela tensions rise

Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Armed Services Committee said Friday that the Trump administration has still not provided details or the legal justification for its recent anti-drug cartel operations.

Since early September, US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific have killed dozens, escalating tensions with Venezuela. In a joint statement, committee chair Roger Wicker (Republican) and ranking member Jack Reed (Democrat) said the administration has not responded to their requests for the strategy and legal basis behind the operations.

The lawmakers said they first sought the relevant “Execute Orders” on September 23, followed by a request on October 6 for any legal opinions supporting the strikes. As of Friday, they had received no official response.

The Pentagon said some documents were made available for review on Thursday and noted that it had already held four bipartisan briefings for Senate staff.

Despite earlier remarks suggesting broader action, President Trump on Friday denied he was considering strikes inside Venezuela, even as speculation grows over potential expansion of US anti-drug operations in the region.