The Trump administration on Wednesday organized a Republican-only Senate classified briefing on the escalating military strikes targeting alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking boats, angering defense-minded Democrats.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the briefing on the hostilities was organized by the Trump administration directly, rather than the Armed Services Committee, and the White House controlled who was invited — a notable break in precedent in congressional national security circles, which are typically more insulated from partisan politics.
The House Armed Services Committee is set to receive a similar briefing on Thursday, but it will be bipartisan and open to all members of the panel, according to a committee aide.
