Rand Paul Rips Pentagon Over Deadly Venezuela Boat Strike: “Would You Also Shoot Them in the Head?”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is sharply criticizing the Pentagon after new reporting revealed U.S. forces conducted a second missile strike on survivors of a destroyed boat near Venezuela — a move raising questions about possible violations of international law.
Speaking on Fox News with anchor John Roberts, Paul blasted the administration’s defense of the September 2 strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel. According to The Washington Post and The Guardian, the first missile sank the boat, and drone operators later spotted survivors clinging to debris before a second missile was launched, killing them.
Paul questioned the legality and morality of the follow-up strike, issuing one of the most direct rebukes to date:
“If the Admiral were there on the scene and he came up in a follow-up boat, would he take his nine-millimeter pistol out and put it up against the head of the survivors and shoot them in the head?”
He argued the Pentagon’s defense — that the survivors still posed a threat — amounts to authorizing “extrajudicial killings” without proof they were armed or attempting to attack U.S. personnel.
The Pentagon has stood by its actions, saying the strike was part of a broader campaign targeting transnational narcotics networks. Officials have not publicly released the identities of those killed, unedited strike footage, or evidence of weapons aboard the vessel — fueling bipartisan calls for transparency.
Advocacy groups and several lawmakers are also pressing the administration to release the legal memo authorizing the use of force in these maritime operations, which have reportedly resulted in more than two dozen strikes since early September.
The White House has not responded to Paul’s latest remarks, but the controversy continues to intensify as lawmakers seek clarity on whether the operation adhered to U.S. and international law.