Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, blasted the Trump administration following reports that his Republican counterparts were briefed on the unilateral strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.
In a forceful statement, Warner condemned the reported partisan briefing as “indefensible,” expressing concern about the “troubling precedent” that such a move sets.
“Shutting Democrats out of a briefing on U.S. military strikes and withholding the legal justification for those strikes from half the Senate is indefensible and dangerous,” Warner wrote in his statement.
“Decisions about the use of American military force are not campaign strategy sessions, and they are not the private property of one political party,” he continued. “For any administration to treat them that way erodes our national security and flies in the face of Congress’ constitutional obligation to oversee matters of war and peace.”
The Virginia Democrat added, “This partisan stunt is a slap in the face to Congress’ war powers responsibilities and to the men and women who serve this country. It also sets a reckless and deeply troubling precedent.”
The reported briefing comes amid bipartisan concerns about the lack of transparency around the president’s unilateral approach to conducting military strikes against alleged drug cartel boats in the Caribbean.
The Trump administration has confirmed nearly a dozen attacks on vessels in recent months that officials say are trafficking narcotics with the hope of reaching the U.S. Some senators have called the moves unconstitutional without congressional authorization, but others have merely pressed for more information about the strikes.
CNN reported earlier this month that the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) produced a legal opinion justifying the strikes.
Warner, in his statement, demanded that Democrats be given access to that opinion.
“The administration must immediately provide to Democrats the same briefing and the OLC opinion justifying these strikes, as [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio personally promised me that he would in a face-to-face meeting on Capitol Hill just last week,” Warner wrote.
“Americans deserve a government that fulfills its constitutional duties and treats decisions about the use of military force with the seriousness they demand,” he added.
The White House, Pentagon and State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
