Trump’s Military Actions Spark Rift Among Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just a week after Donald Trump’s election, Sen. Lindsey Graham urged him to send a strong message to drug cartels. “Blow up something,” Graham told the president-elect. This month’s military strike on a Venezuelan drug-smuggling speedboat was a move that seemed to align with Graham’s directive.

The attack, which resulted in the death of 11 individuals, has intensified divisions within the Republican Party. Critics, including some of Trump’s allies, worry that his actions stray from his campaign promise to avoid foreign entanglements. “We can’t just want to kill people without having some kind of process,” said GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The lethal strike, aimed at members of the Tren de Aragua gang, was framed by the administration as an assertion of U.S. determination to counter drug trafficking. Vice President JD Vance defended the action, stating, “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”

However, the legality of the strike remains under scrutiny. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., expressed concerns about the authority used for the attack. “What situation did we… just put [the military officers] in?” he questioned.

The reaction from foreign leaders has also been pointed. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the United States of trying to seize the nation’s resources. “They’re coming for Venezuela’s riches,” he stated, referencing the country’s vast oil reserves.

In the context of Trump’s evolving military strategy, GOP figures have begun to debate the balance of power regarding wartime decisions. While some Republicans, like Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, argue in favor of the strike, others push for transparency from the administration on its military actions.

As tensions rise, Graham reflected on his earlier advice to Trump. “It works for me,” he said, indicating acceptance of the strike as a game-changing move.