Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) has taken a firm stance against the U.S. administration’s recent strikes on Venezuelan boats in international waters, accusing the White House of conducting ‘illegal killings.’ During an interview with CBS’ ‘Face the Nation,’ Himes criticized the administration’s failure to provide congressional lawmakers with a clear legal justification for the attacks. He argued that the rationale for targeting Venezuelans as ‘narcoterrorists’ is legally unsound and lacks any basis in international law. Himes said that the White House has only provided Congress with a brief memo outlining the strikes, but has not shared detailed information about who was aboard the boats, how they were identified as threats, or the extent of U.S. intelligence gathered before the attacks.
The strikes, which have occurred at least four times in the past month, are part of a broader U.S. effort to combat what the Trump administration claims is a network of ‘narcoterrorists’ smuggling drugs into the country. However, lawmakers and former security officials have raised concerns that these actions risk blurring the line between prosecuting crime and engaging in warfare. Himes, who emphasized the importance of congressional oversight, pointed out that the administration is not providing the necessary information to evaluate the legality of these operations. ‘Congress is being told nothing on this,’ he said, expressing frustration over the lack of transparency and the failure of the Republican-majority Congress to hold the administration accountable.
Himes, who has long been a vocal critic of executive overreach in matters of military action, joined other Democratic House leaders in signing a letter in September that condemned the first strike as a ‘dangerous expansion and abuse of presidential authority.’ The letter highlighted the critical need for Congress to retain its constitutional role in declaring war and authorizing the use of force. Himes also criticized the administration’s stance that designating an entity as a terrorist organization automatically grants the President the right to carry out lethal strikes, arguing that this is a dangerous precedent that undermines the separation of powers. ‘My Republican friends are saying, ‘But these are terrible people doing terrible things,’ ‘ Himes said, adding, ‘OK, I don’t disagree with you on that, but are we now in the business of killing people who are doing bad things without authority?’ The ongoing debate over these strikes reflects broader concerns about the expansion of executive power and the need for stronger legislative oversight.