Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has sharply criticized Vice President JD Vance for defending a recent U.S. military strike that killed 11 people aboard a Venezuelan vessel. The boat was suspected of carrying drugs, and officials claimed it was connected to the Tren de Aragua gang.
President Donald Trump said the group posed a threat to the United States, but critics are questioning both the legality of the operation and the vice president’s remarks about it.
The controversy began after Vance defended the strike on social media, calling it “the highest and best use of our military” to target cartel members who endanger American lives. Progressive activist Brian Krassenstein quickly pushed back, arguing that killing foreign citizens without due process constitutes a war crime. Vance dismissed the criticism bluntly, replying, “I don’t give a shit what you call it.”
That response provoked Senator Paul, who condemned Vance’s attitude toward due process and the rule of law. Paul said glorifying the killing of suspected criminals without a trial was “despicable and thoughtless,” even invoking To Kill a Mockingbird as a reminder of the dangers of punishing the accused without legal proceedings.
The Pentagon’s legal justification for the strike has also come under scrutiny, since Tren de Aragua has not been designated by Congress as an enemy force. While several Senate and House committees were scheduled to be briefed on the attack, the Pentagon canceled those briefings at the last minute, leaving lawmakers uncertain about the legal framework used to authorize the operation.
The clash between Paul and Vance highlights the growing debate in Washington over whether the U.S. is overstepping its authority in targeting suspected criminals abroad, and whether such actions undermine fundamental principles of justice.
