LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media late last night that the U.S. military destroyed another boat in the Caribbean. It's the latest strike against boats the administration says were carrying drugs. More than 60 people have been killed in all of these attacks. The post came just hours after the Senate failed to pass a measure that would have stopped President Trump from waging war with Venezuela. The vote was 49-51 and was a test of how far Republicans will go to push back on Trump. NPR congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales has more.
CLAUDIA GRISALES, BYLINE: As President Trump directs an escalating conflict in and around Venezuela, concerns among lawmakers are growing too.
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RAND PAUL: The executive branch does not have the authority to kill at will anyone, anywhere, at any time, for any reason.
GRISALES: That's Kentucky Republican Rand Paul on the floor of the GOP-led Senate fighting for a War Powers Resolution to stop the escalation. Paul argues a current military tempo signals the Trump administration's interest in a regime change to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. So Paul sponsored the resolution with Democrats, including Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.
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TIM KAINE: You don't need a Ford-class carrier to interdict small drug boats.
GRISALES: That's Kaine on the Senate floor on Thursday. Ultimately, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski was the only other Republican to join Paul, though GOP members like Indiana Senator Todd Young warned they're troubled by aspects of the strikes. Trump supporters like South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham say, in modern history, Congress has typically not intervened when presidents initiated conflicts.
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LINDSEY GRAHAM: The day that we terminate a military operation based on the idea that we haven't authorized it, then we become commander-in-chief.
GRISALES: Graham said presidents have started dozens of conflicts while Congress has only declared five wars, and he says there's good reason for presidents to act.
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GRAHAM: Five hundred thirty-five people have a hard time deciding when to go to lunch.
GRISALES: But critics say this military buildup is different. Trump cabinet officials briefed a bipartisan group of congressional leaders this week. Even after the briefings, critics say they don't have the identities of those killed or evidence justifying the strikes, which many argue is illegal. Here's Paul.
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PAUL: I would advise President Trump to remember the wise words of his inaugural address, we will measure our success by the wars we never get into.
GRISALES: The issue will not disappear after the failed boat. Trump recently ordered the country's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and its strike group to the waters off South America.
Claudia Grisales, NPR News, the Capitol. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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