{"id":26419,"date":"2026-08-03T19:54:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26419"},"modified":"2026-08-03T19:54:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:54:40","slug":"kaine-says-us-boat-strikes-likely-killed-people-not-involved-in-narcotrafficking-murder-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26419","title":{"rendered":"Kaine says US boat strikes likely killed people &#8216;not involved in narcotrafficking&#8217;: &#8216;Murder victims&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a letter to the White House that the military has \u201cexceeded\u201d the parameters of President Donald Trump\u2019s orders in striking alleged drug-smuggling vessels as a part of its counternarcotics operation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Kaine, who wrote to Trump that he had reviewed a so-called \u201cexecute order\u201d signed by the president, which includes targeting criteria for the boat strikes, said the strikes on vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean, which began last September, have likely &#8220;killed individuals who are not involved in narcotrafficking.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Briefings and notifications provided to the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which Kaine is a senior Democrat, include information on the targets, he said. Kaine said the military had struck and killed people who did not fit the order\u2019s criteria.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:66.69921875%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Vance, House GOP Push Ahead On Politically Risky Iran War Funds\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, during a news conference following the weekly Senate Democrat policy luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Congressional Republicans are moving forward with a plan to ramp up spending on President\u00c2 Donald Trump&#8217;s ongoing war with Iran despite the political risks of backing an unpopular military campaign that has spiked consumer prices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">\u201cYou selected numerous organizations for targeting,\u201d Kaine wrote, addressing Trump. \u201cThat target list is classified so I cannot reveal it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">\u201cImportantly, the classification of the list means that those you have asked the Department of Defense to target are entirely unaware that they are marked for execution,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur Rnci \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c6691427-2a47-4706-ae8d-274292a137fb\/boat-strike-01-ht-jt-260113_1768342876438_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c6691427-2a47-4706-ae8d-274292a137fb\/boat-strike-01-ht-jt-260113_1768342876438_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c6691427-2a47-4706-ae8d-274292a137fb\/boat-strike-01-ht-jt-260113_1768342876438_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c6691427-2a47-4706-ae8d-274292a137fb\/boat-strike-01-ht-jt-260113_1768342876438_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/c6691427-2a47-4706-ae8d-274292a137fb\/boat-strike-01-ht-jt-260113_1768342876438_hpMain_16x9.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">President Trump announced on his social media platform, Sept. 2, 2025, that he ordered U.S. military forces to conduct &#8220;a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">@realDonaldTrump\/Truth Social<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The strikes have killed at least 218 people, according to ABC News&#8217; count.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The Pentagon has spent over $820 million on the campaign, which is known as Operation Southern Spear, according to a recent inspector general report. <!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has strongly defended the military\u2019s strikes, arguing that the operations are lawful under domestic and international law.<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- --> Secretary of State Marco Rubio also defended the military strikes, saying at a Senate hearing in June that the Defense Department determined the strikes&#8217; legality and based its decisions on intelligence information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Trump on Truth Social has said that \u201c98.2% of Drugs coming into the U.S. by Ocean or Sea have STOPPED!\u201d There is no evidence for his claim.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Kaine claims that his review of the classified materials provided to Congress, which included a legal memorandum from the Department of Justice, \u201cmakes clear that the United States is engaged in violent and fatal attacks against people far beyond those whom the [legal] opinion claimed could be lawfully targeted.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC eTIW sUzSN \">Some of the strikes\u2019 targets, Kaine argues, \u201care murder victims.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a letter to the White House that the military has \u201cexceeded\u201d the parameters of President Donald Trump\u2019s orders in striking alleged drug-smuggling vessels as a part of its counternarcotics operation. Kaine, who wrote to Trump that he had reviewed a so-called \u201cexecute order\u201d signed by the president, which includes&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/5b7cede8-738d-42b8-8212-aad325a7ac69\/kaine_1785723137987_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}