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John,
Last week, I reviewed classified video of U.S. military strikes ordered by the Trump administration off the coast of Venezuela and questioned the Navy admiral responsible for carrying them out.
What I saw was deeply disturbing.
The administration cannot legally justify these strikes. Not under the Constitution. Not under basic common sense. And not under the standards our military is supposed to follow.
In the video, the people targeted were not an imminent threat. They were not helpless, and they were not actively continuing a mission that would justify lethal force. That matters because without those conditions, the strike is illegal. Full stop.
The Trump administration keeps trying to have it both ways. They claim we’re “at war” with so-called narco-terrorists when it suits them, but then deny that status when it would require following the laws of war or seeking authorization from Congress. They invent new labels, contradict themselves, and expect no one to ask hard questions.
That’s not how democracy works. And it’s not how civilian control of the military is supposed to function.
If the administration truly believes these strikes were lawful, it should declassify the footage and let the American people see the truth for themselves.
If you're with me, sign our petition today calling on the Trump administration to declassify the footage:
Seth
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