Scoop: Trump orders more Venezuela briefings for Congress
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by President Donald Trump, speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Trump is directing staff to brief more members of Congress on his administration's aggressive anti-narcotics tactics in the Caribbean and Pacific, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The unprecedented military maneuvers off Venezuela and the continual extra-judicial killings of unarmed suspects —at least 64 of whom have died in 15 boat sinkings— have sparked bipartisan calls for more intel on the White House's decision making.
- In recent days, Trump has told staff to conduct more briefings in response to complaints he has been receiving from lawmakers, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.
- "I keep getting calls about this from congressmen," Trump explained in a recent meeting with top officials.
Zoom in: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has provided at least one briefing where the issue was addressed to the "Gang of Eight," the majority and minority leaders of both chambers of Congress as well as the chairs and vice-chairs of the Intelligence committees, three sources told Axios.
- That circle is expected to be expanded to include more lawmakers, which could widen to include eight more members of Congress or perhaps more.
- "We're confident in the intelligence we have and when it's been presented by Rubio to the Gang of Eight, they support it," an official said. "What Congress doesn't support is not knowing about it."
- Rubio, with Pentagon lawyers in tow, is scheduled Wednesday to brief lawmakers on Capitol Hill, a source told Axios.
Catch up quick: A GOP-only briefing with select senators last week sparked outrage from Democrats.
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Intel committee, called the move "indefensible and dangerous."
- Republicans also pushed back, arguing that briefings of that nature should be bipartisan.
- Meanwhile, a bipartisan briefing the very next day for the House's Armed Services panel left many Democrats unsatisfied with the administration's legal explanations for their actions.
Zoom out: Since taking office, Trump has taken a keen interest in Latin America, particular the drug cartels and specifically the Nicolas Maduro dictatorship in Venezuela.
- The U.S. has dispatched an unprecedented armada off of Venezuela's shores, partly to interdict drug-running vessels and partly to pressure Maduro to leave office.
- Before Trump was even inaugurated, his team was calling for regime change in Venezuela, Axios first reported.
- Maduro was indicted by the U.S. in 2020 as a cartel leader in charge of a narco state, and Trump this year doubled the bounty calling for his capture to $50 million.
Behind the scenes: Recent media reports have indicated the Trump administration plans to soon start striking targets directly in Venezuela, but the president has yet to give the green light, and officials say there are no plans to imminently move forward.
- "It's the president's decision and the president's decision only," a second official said. "And he has not made that decision."
- Officials say there are no plans for strikes inside neighboring Colombia despite Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) statement last week that "military operations" could take place there.
The intrigue: NBC reported Monday that the Pentagon and CIA are ramping up training for a future operation to strike drug cartels inside Mexico.
- U.S. officials did not deny the accuracy of the reporting but downplayed the likelihood of unilateral action without the support of the Mexican government and its president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
- "Sheinbaum is an ally and the president [Trump] values her as such," said a third official.
