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A prominent Democratic representative has warned his Republican colleagues to be careful with how much unchecked power they grant the President, RadarOnline.com can report, as that could also one day benefit a future liberal leader. Connecticut Representative Jim Himes bashed President Trump for "illegally" blowing up suspected Latin American drug traffickers in the middle of the ocean.The President Has The 'Authority' to AttackTrump has stepped up his war on drugs, targeting suspected narcotics boats headed to America from Venezuela. The controversial military strikes against ships in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have reportedly killed at least 50 suspected smugglers. On Capitol Hill, members from both sides of the aisle have raised questions about the legality of the strikes and whether the president has the constitutional power to authorize them. However, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch ally of Trump, said it's a no-brainer. "I love this debate," Graham told MSNBC's Chis Jansing. "The president has all the authority in the world and if you want to fight over this, let’s fight over this. I think most Americans are going to be with Trump."Trump is Setting a Bad Precedent for the FutureHimes fired back at Graham, saying there is nothing legal about Trump's strikes, and predicting this could end up backfiring on the Republican Party. "If Lindsey Graham and other Republicans want to go the route of saying 'it’s okay to kill people illegally, just so long as the American public supports it,' the American public needs to really think that through, you know? "There will be a Democratic president someday. And all my MAGA friends who are cheering on these illegal killings need to imagine who gets killed when President Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says that it doesn’t matter what the law is, she’s going to do what she’s going to do."Trump's 'Mission' To End DrugsLast month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the use of lethal force as part of a reinvigorated war on drugs. Hegseth said: "You're on a mission. Narco terrorists and drug traffickers are on notice. We will no longer allow the poisoning of the American people. And the full power of the American military — used precisely with a clear mission — will be used to ensure the American people are kept safe." While the Trump administration defended the controversial hit on the boat by insisting there were members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang on board, critics pushed back and said the strike was a blatant violation of due process.Strikes Target Fentanyl SmugglersThe majority of the strikes have targeted suspected fentanyl smugglers. Hegseth doubled down on the claim that the U.S. faced an "invasion" of fentanyl from South American cartels requiring military strength. He said of the strike: "A foreign terrorist organization poisoning your people with drugs coming from a drug cartel is no different than Al Qaeda, and they will be treated as such." A previously leaked ICE memo exposed the Trump administration's alleged belief that Venezuela is plotting to destroy the United States from within.
