US President Donald Trump’s administration of believes that congressional authorization is not required to strike alleged ships engaged in drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea, a source told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the latter reports.

According to this representative of the US administration, the United States can continue its fight against illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, since such actions do not reach the level of military operations described in the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Under that resolution, the US president must cease any military operations if they have not been authorized by Congress.

As per the aforesaid source, operations in the Caribbean region do not pose a threat to American service members, as the alleged drug-trafficking vessels are being targeted from ships located far from US military personnel.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have expressed dissatisfaction over the Trump administration’s lack of transparency regarding the strikes on vessels in the region.

The US accuses Venezuela of insufficient activity in combating drug trafficking. And under that pretext, the US has deployed a considerable number of forces to the Caribbean region. As reported by The Miami Herald, the US administration has decided to strike military facilities located on Venezuela, and these strikes could be carried out in the coming days. Meanwhile, Trump denied in a conversation with reporters that he was considering or had decided on the possibility of striking Venezuela.