Marco Rubio furiously hits out at enemy waging | Political News

State Secretary Marco Rubio acquired into a scuffle over the legality of declaring conflict on drug traffickers with Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) during a Senate oversight listening to Wednesday.

Rubio testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, where he spoke at size about operations in Venezuela after immediately getting interrupted by a heckler who accused him of committing conflict crimes. He went on to spar with Duckworth over disagreements about whether or not the U.S. engaged in a “forever war.” During her opening remarks, Duckworth pressed Rubio on why the Trump administration invoked the wartime 1789 Alien Enemies Act to justify its arrests and deportations of alleged drug traffickers, many of whom don’t possess a legal document.

Rubio explained that the president invoked the law on drug trafficking gangs like Tren de Aragua, who, the administration claims, have “no doubt” waged conflict on U.S. residents by bringing dangerous medication into the nation.

“They are waging war on us, and they are enemy combatants as a result of it,” Rubio declared.

He continued to clarify that it’s a distinctive trendy problem to goal armed, non-state actors like drug cartels that pose a “grave danger” to the nation. As the dialogue grew more heated, Rubio told the senator her questions can be better directed at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Refusing to relent her line of questioning, Rubio responded, “I’m here to discuss foreign policy and what’s within the realm within the Department of State. I think your question is better directed at the Department of Justice.”

He added that her query was about “a complication of the law,” to which she ferociously replied, “It’s not complicated. It’s a simple question.”

He rejected her assertions, replying, “You are asking me to opine on something that is within the realm of the DOJ in terms of [the law’s] domestic application.

“I can inform you that the United States is, most definitely, confronting terrorists and legal organizations working under our hemisphere that pose a grave hazard to the U.S.,” he declared in growing frustration. “Anyone who believes that gangs that flood our nation with fentanyl and cocaine aren’t threats to the U.S. shouldn’t be dwelling in actuality and definitely doesn’t replicate the opinion of most Americans.”

The Iraq war veteran who uses a wheelchair after getting injured in combat continued to ram into him about U.S. President Donald Trump‘s threats to use further military force, if necessary, as further proof that we are at war.

Rubio defended the commander in chief’s remarks but made clear he hopes to avoid further military action, whether that means boots on the ground or air strikes.

“I fear that you are enjoying fast and unfastened with our nation’s navy,” the Iraq war veteran plainly replied, raising concerns that we are on “the trail” toward “another endlessly conflict.”

“I just gave you testimony on how effectively issues are going, perhaps not as fast as all people would really like,” he said. “We hope not to get to that level. We do not anticipate to get to that level. We’re not trending in that direction. That’s a fact.”

At that level, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), remarked that the pair didn’t seem to be making progress, successfully ending the heated debate.