Democrats Excluded From GOP Briefing After Deadly Strikes

The Trump administration held a Republicans-only classified briefing on recent U.S. strikes against vessels alleged to be smuggling drugs in international waters near Venezuela/the Caribbean, excluding Senate Democrats and prompting bipartisan concern. Sen. Mark Warner called the partisan briefing “indefensible,” saying withholding the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel memo and the administration’s legal rationale undermines congressional war‑powers oversight and national security. House members who received a separate briefing complained lawyers were absent and officials could not answer legal questions, and lawmakers are demanding access to the OLC opinion and fuller bipartisan briefings. Several Republican senators privately criticized the exclusion and urged bipartisan briefings even as the administration says the strikes—reported as at least 14 operations that have killed dozens—are part of a directive to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. Democrats and other lawmakers continue to press for evidence that the targets were drug traffickers and access to target information to restore proper congressional oversight.