Sen. Cory Booker: “Outrageous” To Cite Post-9/11 AUMF To Blow Up Drug Smugglers In Caribbean
NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker asked Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, about President Trump unilaterally blowing up a boat carrying alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean. Booker, a member of the Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees, says, “all that we’ve heard so far is that he might be relying on the 9/11 authorization for the use of military force.”
KRISTEN WELKER: I want to start off on some big news this week. President Trump launched a strike against a Venezuelan boat he alleges was carrying a large amount of drugs. Here’s the video he posted. Overnight, the vice president dismissed critics who called this strike a, quote, “War Crime.” Senator Rand Paul responded by saying, quote, “What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial.” Senator, do you think that the president has the authority to unilaterally strike a boat carrying alleged drug smugglers? SEN. CORY BOOKER: No, he doesn’t. It is a massive expansion of presidential authority against the rules that abide by the use of military force. And it’s another example of Donald Trump breaking laws with the United States, giving no justification for his action. All that we’ve heard so far is that he might be relying on the 9/11 authorization for the use of military force. And that is outrageous. And folks need to understand, as the president continues to expand his authority in a way that is very authoritarian, that we all should be concerned. The rule of law matters. And the form of government we have mandates a president work within those bounds and does not just take these kind of actions unilaterally.
