NORFOLK, Va. — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) is calling for more congressional oversight of military strikes in the Caribbean as President Trump announces a "total and complete blockade" of oil tankers to and from Venezuela.
Trump posted on Truth Social using all capital letters to announce the blockade, which is seen as an effort to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
"Well, my sense is this, a blockade is preferable to unilateral military action to kill people who aren't even aware that they've been designated as combatants," Kaine said.
"I'm getting briefed on full legal ramifications of seizures, as opposed to kinetic military strikes to kill people."
Kaine was referring to strikes that have been carried out involving suspected drug boats in the Caribbean.
On Wednesday morning, Kaine and other senators viewed video of an airstrike in September where U.S. forces carried out a second strike on survivors of a shipwreck.
The Trump administration has not released the full video, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says they will not do so.
"We shouldn't be targeting the survivors of shipwreck. I think the laws of war against it. And I walked into the meeting seriously concerned, and nothing that I saw in that meeting allayed my concerns," Kaine said.
In a controversial interview with Vanity Fair, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said President Trump "wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle."
Other Republicans have defended the strikes.
"Trump is right to deal with a narco terrorist state called Venezuela," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina).
Kaine is pushing for more congressional oversight of these strikes as tensions continue in the region, where locally based service members remain stationed.
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