FROM THE HILL: The fallout over U.S. boat strikes on Venezuela are laying bare rifts within the Republican Party as the situation in the Caribbean intensifies.
President Trump over the weekend confirmed he spoke with the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, but did not divulge any details from the conversation. The president also declared the closure of Venezuelan airspace, ratcheting up speculation that some kind of military action could be imminent.
The administration is also facing questions over a September boat strike, which allegedly killed two survivors, following a Washington Post report. The report noted that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill everybody” on the alleged drug boat, leading the commander of the operation to order a second strike when the survivors of the first were detected.
The events have sparked concerns from conservatives already weary of U.S. entanglements abroad and who now face the prospect of another foreign conflict — a scenario Trump had campaigned against as part of his “America First” pledge.
According to the report, Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) are investigating the matter.
“The Committee is aware of recent news reports — and the Department of Defense’s initial response — regarding alleged follow-on strikes on suspected narcotics vessels in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Wicker and Reed wrote in a joint statement. “The Committee has directed inquiries to the Department, and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”
Other Republicans named in the report are House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.), and Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio).
READ MORE AT THE HILL
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
