Senators criticize Trump administration after Democrats were left out of a drug boat strike briefing

Lawmakers from both parties criticized the administration after Democrats weren't invited to a briefing on U.S. military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from both parties criticized the Trump administration after Democrats were not invited to a briefing Wednesday on U.S. military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats.

Sen. Mark Warner, of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, told reporters at a news conference in the Capitol on Thursday that the partisan briefing was a "new low" for the administration.

"That is not how the system is supposed to work," he said.

The Trump administration has launched at least 14 strikes on vessels that it claims were involved with drug trafficking since early September. Calls for transparency into the strikes from members of Congress, including allies of Trump, have grown in recent weeks.

Hegseth says U.S. carried out another strike on an alleged drug boat05:55Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Democrats have “been denied essential information about these airstrikes. From everything we have been told, there are very severe questions about the legality of these strikes.”