President Donald John Trump’s blowing up of Venezuelan boats on the high seas have not been just here and there, one or two … as an Epoch Times article’s title and blurb ably elaborates: “Trump Declares Venezuelan Airspace Closed as US Intensifies Pressure on Maduro” (November 29, 2025), and
The United States has carried out at least 21 lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels since September, killing more than 80 alleged traffickers.
The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in the Caribbean mid-month, and “Operation Southern Spear” is well underway with 12,000 troops and a dozen or so ships in play.
Trump signaled the possibility of expanded operations earlier this week, telling U.S. troops on Nov. 27 that American forces may soon conduct ground actions targeting drug-trafficking routes inside Venezuela. He praised the work of the Air Force’s 7th Bomb Wing in deterring maritime smuggling, saying traffickers have increasingly shifted away from sea routes.
“You probably noticed that people aren’t wanting to be delivering by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” the president said.
“Venezuela’s foreign ministry has accused the U.S. of trying to manufacture a pretext for military escalation,” The Epoch Times story goes on to explain. Since this war has been a ramping up of the War on Drugs, of which Donald Trump has long been a fan, the accusation looks plausible.
Senator Rand Paul (R.-Ky.) has offered his warning:
There are undoubtably war-hungry voices in Washington.
If the administration enters into an invasion of Venezuela or sends more Ukraine aid, it would be detrimental to the party, and would reopen the same divisions we are still trying to mend.
One reply on “The Venezuela War”
One or more Senator or Representative should bring suit, on a claim that Congress cannot delegate to the President the power to choose war, even if some act of Congress might be interpretted as having been enacted with such intention.
US Courts, including the US Supreme Court, have an unpleasant habit of ducking responsibility by claiming that parties that bring suit do not have standing to do so. But, in the cases of Senators and of Representatives, such a claim would be so absurd as to bring an end to any appearance of legitimacy.
I would like to think that Senator Paul and Representative Massie are simply waiting on the decision of the Court concerning tariffs, which decision is likely to establish a more general principle about delegation of Congressional responsibilities.