US senator criticizes Trump for escalating Caribbean military assaults

Republican US Senator Rand Paul has denounced President Donald Trump for escalating military operations in the Caribbean and ordering attacks on alleged Venezuelan drug vessels.

In an interview on Wednesday, the Kentucky lawmaker criticized the Trump administration for deploying forces off the Venezuelan coast, insisting that Congress must first authorize any US military action.

“When we declare war, [it] is supposed to be done by Congress. It is not supposed to be done willy nilly,” Paul said.

Paul argued there was no legitimate reason for sending troops, noting, “There is no fentanyl made in Venezuela. Not just a little bit, there is none being made. These are outboard boats that, in order for them to get to Miami, would have to stop and refuel 20 times.”

Criticizing strikes on boats, he added, “Interdicting drugs has always been an anti-crime activity where we do not just summarily execute people; we actually present evidence and convict them.”

He emphasized that the core issue is the moral and legal principle governing when it is acceptable to take lives indiscriminately during wartime.

In a separate interview on Sunday, he said the strikes “go against all of our tradition,” arguing that “you really need to know someone’s name, at least, you have to accuse them of something … you have to present evidence … so all these people have been blown up without us knowing their name, without any evidence of a crime.”

Following Paul’s comments, Trump lashed out at him on Truth Social: “Whatever happened to ‘Senator’ Rand Paul? He was never great, but he went really BAD! I got him elected, TWICE (in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky!), but he just never votes positively for the Republican Party. He is a nasty liddle [little] guy.”

Paul has also co-sponsored a bill introduced by a democrat Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia,  seeking to prevent Trump from unilaterally declaring war on Venezuela.

Addressing the proposal, Paul wrote on the social media platform X, “It is imperative that we make it clear that war powers reside with Congress, not the president.”

Venezuela announces new defense zones along Colombia border, says wary of US-backed threats

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro unveils a new plan to strengthen territorial defense amid reports of renewed US covert activity in the region.

The US military buildup in the Caribbean and near Venezuelan waters began in August, involving several destroyers, anti-submarine aircraft, battleships, nuclear submarines, and F-35 squadrons.

Since then, US forces have attacked multiple vessels, killing dozens of Venezuelan nationals while claiming they were drug traffickers transporting narcotics to the United States, an accusation Caracas has repeatedly dismissed as baseless.

Last Wednesday, Trump said he had authorized CIA operations in Venezuela and was considering land operations in the country.

“We have almost totally stopped it by sea. Now we will stop it by land,” Trump said regarding alleged drug smuggling.

In response, the Venezuelan government has declared a national emergency, reinforced its armed forces, and mobilized its national militia to confront Washington’s “unprovoked military aggression.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk