GOP Sen. Rand Paul again slammed the Trump administration over its continued attacks against alleged drug vessels off the Venezuelan coast, saying they amount to extra judicial killings.
Speaking on Fox News, Paul say he likely wouldn’t be satisfied with a congressional briefing related to the actions because it wouldn’t be “enough to overcome the Constitution.” “The Constitution says that, when you go to war, Congress has to vote on it and even during war there are rules of engagement.”
No briefing. No evidence. No names.
Just people blown up in the Caribbean and called “drug dealers.” That’s not law enforcement. That’s extrajudicial killing.
The Constitution says only Congress can declare war. Until then, these strikes are as wrong as what China or Iran does. pic.twitter.com/q0aTpqMNK3
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 27, 2025
Paul went on to say that these kind of actions have been “typically done through law enforcement.” “So far they have alleged these people are drug dealers. No one said their names, evidence, whether they are armed. I would call them extra judicial killings. It’s akin to what China, Iran do with drug dealers. They summarily execute people without presenting evidence, so it’s wrong,” Paul added.
The senator has repeatedly rejected the government’s actions in the region, recently rejecting a claim the administration’s claim that the strikes were targeting smugglers carrying different drugs, including fentanyl.
“There is no fentanyl made in Venezuela. Not just a little bit, there’s none being made. These are outboard boats that, in order for them to get to Miami, would have to stop and refuel 20 times,” Paul told Piers Morgan last week.
“It’s all likely going to Trinidad and Tobago. There are a lot of reasons to be worried about this. Number one is the broader principle of when can you kill people indiscriminately when there’s war. That’s why when we declare war is supposed to be done by Congress. It’s not supposed to be done willy nilly. When there’s war you just kill people in the war zone, there are rules of engagement,” Paul added.
Paul is joining a bill introduced by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, which will force a vote to stop Trump from unilaterally declaring war on the South American country. NPR detailed that the Upper House will have to vote after a 10-day waiting period.
Paul addressed the move in a social media publication, claiming “it’s imperative that we make it clear that war powers reside with Congress, not the president.”
Trump has lashed back at Paul in response. He recently dedicated him a social media post, asking “Whatever happened to ‘Senator’ Rand Paul?”
“He was never great, but he went really BAD! I got him elected, TWOCE (in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky!), but he just never votes positively for the Republican Party. He’s a nasty liddle’ guy, much like ‘Congressman’ Thomas Massie, aka Rand Paul Jr., also of Kentucky (which I won three times, in massive landslides!), a sick Wacko, who refuses to vote for our great Republican Party, MAGA, or America First. It’s really weird!!!”
Originally published on Latin Times
