Democratic lawmakers say Department of War officials are uncertain about the identities of at least 57 people killed in U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, Politico reported on Thursday.
Department of War policy officials met with the House Armed Services Committee to address bipartisan requests for greater legal justification for the recent strikes. Notably, military lawyers were removed from the briefing shortly before it began, according to the outlet.
The abrupt change, combined with the lack of concrete information, left many lawmakers frustrated.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., told reporters, "[The department officials] said that they do not need to positively identify individuals on these vessels to conduct the strikes; they just need to prove a connection to smuggling."
"When we tried to get more information, we did not get satisfactory answers," she added.
Republican members of the committee also expressed concern, saying they were left with unanswered questions about the more than 14 strikes carried out against alleged drug-smuggling boats in both the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The Trump administration has faced scrutiny over the legality of the operations, claiming the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with Latin American drug cartels linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Last week, President Donald Trump threatened a ground assault on Venezuela, confirmed that covert operations were underway inside the country, and ordered nuclear-capable bombers to circle its coast, an extraordinary show of force apparently aimed at pressuring Maduro to resign.
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry condemned Trump's statements and the increased U.S. military presence in the region, calling the strikes on boats in the Caribbean "acts of aggression, threats, and harassment" toward the country.
The closed-door hearings come as the Senate prepares to vote again on a measure to rein in Trump's military authority, as lawmakers from both parties warn that continued action could escalate into a full-scale conflict with Venezuela.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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