Two Senate Republicans Join Democrats in Opposing Trump’s Unilateral Boat Strikes

By a vote of 51 to 48, most Senate Republicans succeeded in passing a motion to end a measure aimed at ending President Donald Trump’s practice of unilaterally ordering strikes against ships he said were carrying drugs.

Two Senate Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted with Democrats in favor of the motion to reject the Foreign Relations Committee’s joint resolution, but the motion did not pass.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only member of his party to join Republicans in voting against the discharge motion.

WAR ON CARTELS? WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT HAS AN IRON BUSINESS TO HIT NARCO-TERRORIST GROUPS

Left: Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, arrives at the United States Capitol on September 26, 2023 in Washington, DC; Right: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak., leaves a meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on November 16, 2022 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“Let us fully support the fight against the scourge of cartel drug trafficking into our nation,” Fetterman said in a statement. job the X last month.

The text of proposal reads, in part, “Congress hereby directs the President to terminate the use of the armed forces of the United States for hostilities against any organization designated on or after February 20, 2025, as a specially designated foreign terrorist organization or global terrorist organization, any State in which such entities operate, or any non-state organization engaged in the promotion, trafficking, and distribution of illegal drugs and other related activities, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war. or specific authorization for the use of military force.”

Last month, Trump announced several strikes against ships, each of which he said resulted in the deaths of “narcoterrorists.”

TRUMP ADMINISTRATOR TELLS CONGRESS HE DETERMINED WE ENGAGED IN FORMAL “ARMED CONFLICT” WITH “TERRORISM” DRUG CARTELS

President Donald Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, Sunday, October 5, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also announced a strike earlier this month.

“Our intelligence undoubtedly confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, that those on board were narcoterrorists, and that they were operating on a transit route known for narcotics trafficking,” Hegseth said in the statement. job on X.

“These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people end!!!!” he exclaimed.

US STRIKES ANOTHER DRUG TRAFFICKING BOAT NEAR VENEZUELA, KILLING 4

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Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who voted against the discharge motion, said in a statement that he “cannot support a resolution that could potentially hinder our ability to protect U.S. service members in the Middle East.”

“Despite my opposition to this resolution, I am very concerned about the legality of recent strikes in the Caribbean and the trajectory of military operations without the approval or debate of Congress and the support of the American people. While the Constitution grants the executive branch Article II powers to defend against imminent threats, Congress is solely responsible for decisions of war and peace,” he said in another part of the statement.