1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

President Trump ordered the U.S. military to destroy a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean, killing 11 people he claimed were drug smugglers. Officials have confirmed that the boat had already turned away before the strike began, undermining any argument that it posed an imminent threat. The military hit the vessel repeatedly until it sank. This was not an act of law enforcement. It was a summary execution at sea. For decades, the Coast Guard has intercepted suspected smuggling boats, boarded them, and if warranted, arrested those aboard for prosecution. Trump discarded this system and instead treated suspects as enemy combatants in a war Congress has never authorized. Legal experts, including retired Navy judge advocates general, have been clear: there is no lawful basis for treating suspected drug smuggling as an armed attack justifying military force. Even if such a rationale were possible, it evaporated once the boat turned away. By ordering these killings, Trump violated U.S. law, international law, and the Constitution’s limits on presidential power. Congress cannot allow this precedent to stand. I urge you to: 1. Open impeachment proceedings against President Trump for illegal use of military force and unlawful killings. 2. Investigate the secret directive authorizing military strikes against suspected traffickers and demand its immediate rescission. 3. Reassert congressional war powers by advancing legislation such as H.R. 255 (Repeal of the 2002 AUMF Against Iraq) and S. 2073 (National Security Powers Act), which would limit unilateral presidential military action and restore Congress’s constitutional role. If left unchecked, Trump’s actions put civilians, including fishermen and others at sea, at risk of misidentification and death. He has shown contempt for the law, for Congress, and for human life. This is an impeachable abuse of power. Congress must act now.