Archive · 13 Dec 2025
House Speaker Defends Venezuela Drug Boat Strikes
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that the US military's strikes on drug boats in Venezuela were appropriate.
He saw a video of the strikes and talked to the commander.
The first strike happened on September 2, and there have been at least 22 strikes since then, killing at least 87 people.
Some people say the strikes are illegal and inhumane, especially because two survivors were killed in a follow-up strike.
Democrats and legal experts think the survivors might have been waving for help, but Republicans say the men were able-bodied and trying to signal other drug boats.
Johnson said the US had good intelligence and that the strikes were legal.
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the US military's drug boat strikes in Venezuela as appropriate and legal.
The initial strike on September 2 was followed by at least 22 more strikes, killing at least 87 people.
Two survivors from the initial strike were killed in a follow-up strike, sparking debate about its legality.
Democrats and legal experts argue the follow-up strike could be a war crime, interpreting the survivors' waving as a call for help.
Republicans claim the survivors were able-bodied and signaling other drug boats, making them legal targets.
- Who
- US House Speaker Mike Johnson, US military, Venezuelan drug boat survivors, Democrats and legal experts, Republicans
- What
- Controversial drug boat strikes and subsequent debate on their legality and humanity
- When
- September 2, 2023 (initial strike), followed by a subsequent strike
- Where
- Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean
- Why
- To disrupt suspected drug trafficking activities
- Date of Strikes
- September 2, 2023
- Number of Strikes
- At least 22
- Number of People Killed
- At least 87
- Location of Strikes
- Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean
- Speaker's View
- Entirely appropriate and legal
- Critics' View
- Illegal and inhumane
- Survivors' Condition
- Disputed (able-bodied vs. helpless)
