Sen. Lankford Questions Trump’s Venezuela Strategy

Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s decision to target Venezuelan ships without getting approval from Congress.

“The administration must keep Congress in the loop. I would be shocked if something like this were happening under the Biden administration,” Lankford remarked during a discussion on C-SPAN’s “Ceasefire” program with Democratic Senator Chris Coons from Delaware.

He revealed his surprise upon learning about the attacks authorized by the White House. “Being on the Intelligence Committee, and with Coons leading on defense, this is an essential conversation,” he explained to host Dasha Burns.

Lankford emphasized the need for transparency, saying, “‘It’s not a license, but we want to inform you about what’s happening and discuss the details behind it.'”

President Trump stated that the ships hit by military action were involved in drug trafficking, a claim that the Venezuelan government disputes. Since September, the military has executed ten strikes in this effort.

“I don’t believe we need a formal declaration of war,” Trump told reporters. “We’re just going to eliminate those bringing drugs into our nation. That’s the plan,” he added.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the operation and even shared footage of the attack on X, stating, “If you’re a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we’ll treat you the same as we do al-Qaeda.” He also mentioned that a recent strike resulted in six “narco-terrorists” being killed.

Lankford acknowledged the challenge of cross-border drug trafficking and noted that while legislators support Trump’s initiatives, they need clearer communication from the administration. “In Oklahoma, we have people suffering from meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. It’s a crisis, as it is nationwide. We’ve tried various methods to combat it,” he stated.

“The president has certainly amplified efforts, saying ‘We’re going to stop the drugs that are hurting people.’ These objectives are valid, but we lack proper communication and coordination. We need to talk openly about this. We’re not opponents; we’re allies. But we must engage as an equal branch of government,” Lankford concluded.