Trump has yet to provide Congress hard evidence that targeted boats carried drugs, officials say

"The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that alleged drug-smuggling boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. As bipartisan frustration with the strikes mounts, the Senate was voting Wednesday on a war powers resolution that would require the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes on the cartels."

"It said 21 people were killed in the strikes. The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly about the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has only pointed to unclassified video clips of the strikes posted on social media by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and has yet to produce hard evidence that the vessels were carrying drugs."

The administration has not provided underlying evidence to lawmakers that the boats targeted by U.S. military strikes were carrying narcotics, according to U.S. officials. The Senate is voting on a war powers resolution that would require presidential authorization from Congress before further strikes on cartels. The military conducted at least four strikes on boats the White House said were carrying drugs, including three from Venezuela, and 21 people were killed. Officials say the administration has only pointed to unclassified video clips posted on social media and has not produced hard evidence. A retroactive memo labeled cartels unlawful combatants and asserted an armed conflict, raising questions about war powers and congressional oversight.

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