‘You’re not welcome’: The far-right agitators travelling to Calais to abuse migrants

Dressed in a black T-shirt, a black cap and a pair of black leather gloves, Ukip leader Nick Tenconi addresses the camera from a road in northern France. In a direct appeal to “men in Britain”, he’s here to advertise a disturbing new trend, which he tells the camera could be “the next big thing” – organised trips to northern France to harass small-boat migrants.

“Why aren’t we coming out here and making them feel incredibly unwelcome and creating a hostile environment?” he asks.

This year, far-right agitators have been making trips to Calais and Dunkirk to harass migrants waiting to attempt the perilous Channel crossing from France to the UK, and the charity workers who support them. Seemingly not satisfied with targeting asylum seekers in the UK, these men have travelled to northern France to film migrants sleeping rough, wake them up in the middle of the night with flashing lights, and tell them they are not wanted in Britain.

In June, Mr Tenconi said that British men who want to curb migration to the UK have a “duty” to turn up in France and harass the destitute migrants. Since then, he has made several visits, and reports of groups of men harassing asylum seekers have become a regular occurrence for the NGOs that work in Calais.

Though Ukip, which is a registered political party, claims to be “spearheading” the trips, other people have also been making the journey – including a group called Raise the Colours, who were involved in putting up union jack and St George’s flags this summer.

The Ukip visits are part of a new project called the Border Protection Mission, an initiative that has raised more than £21,000 so far, according to its online fundraising account.

Charity workers who are supporting destitute migrants in Calais with their most basic needs are also under threat, with a recent UkipYouTube video focusing on the work of French NGO Utopia 56.

On one recent visit, around 10 September, charity workers received messages from refugees who said they had been attacked by a group of English men, who had taken their blankets, personal items and lifejackets.

On 30 September, Ukip posted a video that showed men approaching groups of homeless migrants who were sleeping rough at night, and aggressively shining a flashing light on them until they woke up and fled from the crew.

The video, uploaded to the party’s X (Twitter) channel, showed men carrying the St George’s Cross, the union flag, and a banner saying that “Islamist invaders” were not welcome in Britain. The men appeared to be shouting “You shall not pass” at the sleeping refugees.

Since becoming Ukip leader in February, Mr Tenconi has seemingly been to northern France four times; the first, in June, was apparently to scope out the area, and he then returned in July, September and November, when he directly confronted NGO workers and asylum seekers.

In recent weeks, Ryan Bridge has also been in Northern France with a group of men under the banner of Raise the Colours. In a video posted to YouTube in mid-November, he filmed himself wading through water off the French coast towards a small boat while shouting: “You’re not welcome in our country.”

Dressed in black and wearing GoPro cameras strapped around their chests, six other men stood on a beach, looking at the camera. Described by one of the participants as “eight lads from Birmingham”, they claimed to have managed to stop people from boarding boats to England. “We’re not going to stop doing this, we’re going to keep it up,” he said.

Since then, Mr Bridge has recruited Tommy Robinson’s associate Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, who runs a YouTube account with 115,000 subscribers. Mr Bridge and Mr Thomas have been back to France recently, and claim to have destroyed a dinghy they found on the beach.

Supporters are encouraged to fund Mr Thomas’s work by joining a membership channel on YouTube that costs between £4.99 and £17.99 a month. Mr Thomas also said that the adverts on his videos will “help fund the next mission”. The pair had launched a website for their campaign called “Operation Overlord”, but this no longer appears to be live.

One charity worker who works for the charity Care4Calais, whose name has been withheld for safety reasons, said that they had added a section in the briefing for charity volunteers about the far right’s visits to Dunkirk and Calais.

“We saw Ukip coming out in the summer, and since then we’ve had Raise the Colours come out a couple of times,” they explained. “They have been quite prevalent in the last couple of weeks. We’ve seen videos of them digging up boats and slashing them.

“There have also been visits by other people, but it’s hard to know which organisations they are attached to.

“After the Ukip visits, for example, we had reports of a group of people going round the Dunkirk area in the early hours, harassing people and stealing their lifejackets. People would tell us about what had happened when we got on site. We get regular reports about English people being there, and that they are being abusive.”

The resurgence in visits and reports of harassment has made those working for the refugee charity Care4Calais even more vigilant and careful in their work. Risk assessments have been updated, and evacuation procedures have been reviewed.

The uptick in hostility towards migrants in France has also been mirrored across the Channel in England, the Care4Calais worker explained, with asylum seekers or people of colour living near large sites being followed and filmed.

A researcher from Hope Not Hate, who does not want to be named for fear of reprisal, explained that Ukip has evolved from a more traditional political party to one that is focused on a street style of politics. Under Mr Tenconi, the party has three main themes: Christian nationalism, fighting communism, and remigration.

“This is the intimidatory aspect which he [Tenconi] does lean into. He is encouraging British people to actively create a hostile environment. But he is very good at walking the side of legality. Ukip now has a very specific style. Tenconi is confrontational, aggressive; he is out to demonise. Particularly with NGO workers, it becomes a school bully style.

“He will approach people, calling them nasty little communists and domestic terrorists. In one incident, when one person shouts back, he tells them to calm down, mocking the pitch of her voice.

“What makes these trips to Calais dangerous is that it normalises harassing asylum seekers and it positions this harassment as a sort of public duty.

“We’ve seen an uptick in racist attacks, racist graffiti, people being verbally harassed. And when you’ve got someone like Tenconi … who culturally, within the far right, does have a decent amount of traction, telling people that they need to create a hostile environment – that poses a danger.

“It poses a danger to any non-white and non-Christian individual, because if someone is going to racially harass people, they will not stop to ask them how long they’ve been here.”

Responding to queries from The Independent, a Ukip spokesperson said that activists had made several trips to Calais to “report on the invasion of Britain by illegal migrants”.

They said that their team had been “threatened with weapons, assaulted, and had our vehicles attacked by illegal migrants”.

They also claimed that Mr Tenconi had been “spat at by NGO workers, had cannabis smoke blown in his face, and been subjected to severe verbal abuse by these so-called charity workers”. They insisted that “Ukip activists have broken no laws and have consistently engaged in a calm and peaceful manner” and said that “NGOs have lied to cover up the appalling behaviour of the migrants and also their volunteers”.

Mr Bridge and Mr Thomas did not respond to requests for comment.

In a video posted in mid-November, filming after a night scouring a French beach, Mr Thomas speaks to the camera with Mr Bridge in the background. “This way, if it is done correctly, you don’t break any laws … We’re going to get the plan together.

“Get ready, because the call is coming,” he tells the now 219,000 viewers of his video.

Bestselling author Sophie Kinsella dies, aged 55

The author Sophie Kinsella has died aged 55, her family have said.

Kinsella, best known for her bestselling Shopaholic novels, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2022. She revealed the news to the public last year.

A statement posted to her Instagram account said: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.

“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life.

“Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed – to have such wonderful family and friends, and to have had the extraordinary success of her writing career. She took nothing for granted and was forever grateful for the love she received.

“She will be missed so much our hearts are breaking.”

Her books have sold around 45 million copies in more than 60 countries, and have been translated into more than 40 languages and adapted for film and theatre.

Born Madeleine Sophie Townley in 1969, Kinsella grew up in London and studied politics, philosophy and economics at New College, Oxford, before working as a financial journalist. Inspired by authors like Mary Wesley and Joanna Trollope, she wrote her first novel, The Tennis Party, over the course of a few months when she was 24 years old (to get to grips with how a story should be structured, she “took a Jilly Cooper novel and broke it down chapter by chapter, noting what happened in each, to see how she did it”, she later told Woman & Home).

She later admitted that she had felt determined to be taken seriously as a “real author”, so she’d focused on darker subject matter and characters with very different experiences from her own.

It was published two years later in 1995 using her married name, Madeleine Wickham (she’d tied the knot with Harry Wickham, a teacher, in 1991; they had met on her first night as a student at Oxford).

She would go on to write six more books under her real name, releasing one every year until 2001. But towards the end of her twenties, she decided to start working on a novel that would take her career in a very different direction.

“I thought, OK, now without being defensive, I will write a silly book about things I know, and just make it funny and ridiculous,” she told The Guardian. “And if it fails, that’s OK.”

That book was The Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, which told the story of Becky Bloomwood, a twentysomething financial journalist who happens to be dreadful with money, preferring the dopamine rush of putting a new pair of shoes on her credit card to saving up sensibly. This change of genre required a new authorial alter ego: she came up with Sophie Kinsella by combining her middle name with her mother’s maiden name.

After initially submitting it to her publishers under this new identity, the first Shopaholic book debuted in 2000. It was an immediate hit, and two sequels followed over the next two years. Kinsella would eventually write 10 Shopaholic novels in total, following Becky through marriage, motherhood and her various misadventures in spending. Confessions of a Shopaholic, a film adaptation of the first two books starring Isla Fisher as Becky and Hugh Dancy as her love interest Luke, was released in 2009.

Kinsella also wrote a dozen standalone titles, including Can You Keep a Secret? (2003) and The Burnout (2023), and branched out into young adult fiction in 2015 with the release of Finding Audrey. Her work was often branded as “chick lit”, although she preferred it to be classified as contemporary fiction or “wit lit”.

“When I hear the term ‘chick lit’, I feel a pinprick of, not annoyance but of slight resignation,” she told the Daily Mail in 2018. “‘Oh, this again…’ I’ve never had anyone say to my face, ‘Your books are inferior,’ but if people say, ‘Your books are beach reads,’ I say, ‘Yep, that’s fine by me. Read them on the beach!’”

In April last year, Kinsella revealed that she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma towards the end of 2022. “I’ve wanted for a long time to share with you a health update and I’ve been waiting for the strength to do so,” she wrote in a statement posted on her social media accounts, explaining that she had delayed making the news public “because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt for our ‘new normal’”.

She told her fans that she had been undergoing treatment at a London hospital, and thanked her family, friends and “the wonderful doctors and nurses who have treated me” for their support.

She is survived by her husband, Henry, and their five children.

Nobel Peace Prize winner’s daughter collects award in her absence amid death threats

The daughter of 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado said her mother is determined to secure freedom in Venezuela as she accepted her mother’s award.

Ana Corina Sosa Machado collected the gold medal and diploma, and received a standing ovation after the Venezuelan opposition leader – who has been forced to live in hiding for much of the year – was unable to reach Oslo in time for the ceremony.

It followed a chaotic 24 hours in which a press conference before the ceremony was cancelled without explanation and amid conflicting reports about whether Ms Machado would be able to attend in person.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, the head of the Nobel Institute, said that security threats meant that Ms Machado’s life would be in danger on her journey to Oslo.

“She simply lives with a death threat from the regime. It extends beyond Venezuela’s borders, from the regime and the regime’s friends around the world,” Mr Harpviken told Norway’s national broadcaster, NRK.

Accepting the award, Ms Machado’s daughter read a speech written by her mother.

“We attain freedom only when we refuse to turn our backs on ourselves, when we confront the truth directly, no matter how painful, when love for what truly matters in life gives us the strength to persevere and to prevail,” she said.

“Venezuela will breathe again,” she continued. “We will open prison doors and watch thousands who were unjustly detained step into the warm sun, embraced at last by those who never stopped fighting for them.

“We will see grandmothers settle children on their laps to tell them stories not of distant forefathers, but of their own parents’ courage.”

In the speech, she accused the Venezuelan government of “state terrorism deployed to bury the will of the people”.

The 58-year-old politician and former engineer has been in hiding since a contentious election that saw socialist leader and president Nicolas Maduro declared the winner. Ms Machado was banned from public office shortly after the win.

Venezuela’s attorney general had warned that the leader would be considered a “fugitive” if she were to travel to Oslo to collect the prize.

“Maria Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be,” the institute explained.

The award comes amid a backdrop of escalating tensions between Venezuela and the US, with Mr Trump reportedly issuing Mr Maduro an ultimatum to step down immediately in exchange for safe passage out of the country.

The Trump administration has accused Mr Maduro of facilitating drug trafficking from his country, which he denies.

The Venezuelan leader has in turn accused the US president of trying to oust him by piling on pressure with a show of force on his border. Military attacks on boats have been criticised as “extrajudicial killings” by some legal experts.

Ms Machado previously dedicated her Nobel win to Mr Trump, who has made clear his hopes to win the prize himself. She thanked him for his “decisive support” in her country’s struggle for democracy.

The opposition leader was celebrated as someone “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness” by the Nobel committee in an explanation of its choice.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee, added: “In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding.

“Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”

British soldier killed in Ukraine military training exercise named and pictured

A British soldier killed on duty in Ukraine has been named by the Ministry of Defence.

Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, of the Parachute Regiment, died in a “tragic accident” while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability on Tuesday morning.

Paying tribute at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Lance Corporal Hooley was injured in a tragic accident away from the front lines while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability.

“His life was full of courage and determination. He served our country with honour and distinction around the world in the cause of freedom and democracy, including as part of the small number of British personnel in Ukraine.”

The UK has previously acknowledged that a “small number” of military personnel are in the country, mainly providing security for the British diplomatic presence and supporting the Ukrainian armed forces.

A Ministry of Defence statement said: “It is with sadness that we must confirm that the member of the UK Armed Forces who died in Ukraine on Tuesday 9th December is Lance Corporal George Hooley of the Parachute Regiment. He was 28 years old.

“Our thoughts are with Lance Corporal Hooley’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”

The Parachute Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment of the British Army, primarily based at Merville Barracks in Colchester.

It has not been disclosed which battalion of the Parachute Regiment L/Cpl Hooley served in.

The 1st Battalion is under the direction of special forces while other battalions are part of the British Army’s rapid response formation.

Defence secretary John Healey paid tribute, saying “he served our country with distinction”.

Mr Healey visited Washington DC on Wednesday to discuss the Aukus nuclear submarine programme and his Australian and US counterparts also paid tribute to the British paratrooper.

United States secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, said: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to you, and to him and his family, and it is a reflection of the sacrifice and commitment that so many make around the world.”

Australia’s defence minister Richard Marles added: “Let me start there and also pass on my condolences to George Hooley’s family. We are all very much thinking of you at this moment.”

Iceland is the fifth country to boycott Eurovision

Iceland has become the fifth country to boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

The Nordic country joins Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands in saying that they will not participate in next year’s competition after it was confirmed last week that Israel will be taking part, despite some calls for the country to be excluded over its military action in Gaza.

“Participation of Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, in the contest has created disunity among both members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the general public,” Icelandic broadcaster RÚV said in a statement on Wednesday (10 December).

As reported by BBC, Iceland had previously indicated it intended to skip next year’s contest, but wished to wait until the issue could be discussed by its board of directors before making it official.

The meeting took place just a few hours before the deadline for countries to confirm whether they will participate in the 70th edition of the singing competition, due to be held in Austria next May.

The EBU had backed away from calling a vote on Israeli participation, and instead passed rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive.”

By contrast, Irish national broadcaster RTE described Israel’s participation as “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza”.

The RTE statement said: “Following today’s EBU winter general assembly in Geneva at which Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest was confirmed, RTE’s position remains unchanged.”

Israel’s presence at Eurovision has been an increasing source of tension due to its war in Gaza, as well as the accusations that Israel’s government tried to influence the public vote at this year’s event.

Russia was banned from Eurovision after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Israel has continued to compete for the past two years despite disputes.

The EBU has introduced a range of measures designed to protect the integrity of the vote, but the Icelandic broadcaster said it “believes that there are still doubts whether the agreed adjustments would be fully satisfactory”.

“RÚV has repeatedly raised concerns that various Icelandic stakeholders, such as artist associations and the general public, were opposed to participation in the contest,” they said.

“Furthermore, RÚV had requested the EBU to exclude KAN from the contest in accordance to precedents.”

“It is a complex matter, which has already damaged the contest’s reputation and EBU, emphasising the necessity of a solution for all concerned parties.”

Last week, Spain said it had decided to withdraw after it asked for a vote on Israel’s participation. Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands also pulled out after the summit.

Israel has taken part in Eurovision since 1973 because its public broadcaster, Kan, is a member of the EBU. Israel has won four times, most recently in 2018. It came second in the 2025 contest.

From bean tech to bespoke brews, discover the ultimate coffee machine

There aren’t many Christmas gifts that are guaranteed to be used every day, unless you opt for a toothbrush. Which to be honest, isn’t the most exciting present to rip open on Christmas morning. Unlike a brand new, stylish and sleek coffee machine.

De’Longhi’s stellar Rivelia system will steal the show in any kitchen it calls home. Its bean-to-cup system gives you at-home coffee that’s as delicious as the one made by your favourite barista, and also offers a more sustainable option, that feels as good as it tastes. So whether you’re looking for your first machine, or want to upgrade your existing coffee set-up, here’s why this market-leading crema-de-la-crop needs to be top of your 2025 Christmas list…

Bean-to-cup machines are the most sustainable way to enjoy coffee, with no single-use coffee pods, minimal packaging and biodegradable grounds that you can throw straight into your compost bin. Bean-to-cup also serves up the fullest flavour, whatever coffee you’re in the mood for. And if that preference tends to change, the Rivelia’s interchangeable bean hoppers mean you can flip between your I-need-to-wake-up-in-the-next-two-minutes espresso and leisurely afternoon decaf with ease.

The Rivelia comes equipped with Bean Adapt technology as well as a how-to guide, to make it super simple to get the best out of your beans. The guide helps you find the right grind, extraction temperature and aroma intensity for the specific blend and roast, all of which means that you get to enjoy the most perfect, personally crafted coffee. You can even name each bag of beans entered for future caffeine (or non-caffeine) hits.

With four user profiles, the Rivelia can get to know everyone in your household and their coffee preferences, even better than Dan from the local coffee shop. And he knows them well. Nothing is set in stone though: you can always tweak your order when needed. Is it the kind of day that demands an extra shot? Throw one in. Going large and savouring a long coffee in the garden this morning? Not a problem, the Rivelia lets you customise away.

Did you get the nativity tickets? Where are the Christmas lights? Have you pre-ordered the turkey? If your pre-Christmas to-do list is already sixteen pages long and you can’t cope with another question, the De’Longhi Rivelia can take one decision off your plate. Pre-programmed choices include a classic flat white, on-trend cortado, and trusty Americano among many others (16 in total). Hot water and milk-only options are available and when the sun finally comes out again, the Rivelia can do its magic on iced coffee choices too. Simply hit the button, and breathe.

The Rivelia’s LatteCrema carafe creates hot milk and milk foam to give the sort of silky-smooth finish you normally associate with a ten minute queue and a six quid bill. Now, you can get the same barista-style experience at home, whilst lolling in your kitchen in your slippers. Want an alternative milk option? Not a problem; the Rivelia is compatible with oat, soy and coconut milk too.

How clever is this? If you tend to start your day with a flat white but crave the pep of an espresso by mid-morning, your Rivelia will learn that. Soon it will know your personal preferences and update its screen to show the drink that you’re likely to fancy, at the time that you fancy it. It’s almost as if you have your own barista hanging out in your kitchen (without the awkwardness when you turn up bleary-eyed in your dressing gown).

It’s not just flavour and sustainability it excels at: the Rivelia’s sleek look means that it’s a design win for any stylish home too. And it’s easy to keep it looking and working at its best. The De’Longhi Rivelia rinses automatically and is easy to wash by hand (bonus: some parts will go in the dishwasher), with the brewing unit simple to remove and rinse too. All you need to do is descale it regularly (frequency depends on water hardness in your area), plus you can register your machine for a two-year guarantee, for even more peace of mind.

To find out more about the Rivelia and buy your machine, visit Delonghi

Lammy ‘considering wiping childhood criminal records’ to prevent harm to future job prospects

Justice Secretary David Lammy is reportedly considering wiping childhood criminal records.

The move, designed to help simplify the criminal records check system, aims to prevent minor teenage offences from scuppering adult job prospects.

It follows reports in the Daily Telegraph that youthful transgressions are still disclosed to employers in middle age.

“We will consider opportunities to simplify the criminal records regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences,” Mr Lammy, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, told the newspaper.

The Ministry of Justice, meanwhile, said: “We want to help children who have committed crime to stop re-offending and turn their lives around.

“That is why the government is actively exploring opportunities to simplify the criminal records system, while always putting public safety first.”

In 2017, Mr Lammy led a review of discrimination within the policing and criminal justice system, commissioned by the Conservatives under Lord David Cameron and then Baroness Theresa May.

It advocated for reform of how criminal records are kept and recommended offenders should be able to appeal to a judge to have their records “sealed” if they demonstrate they have changed their behaviour since they were convicted.

US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker in latest ramp-up

U.S. forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking the latest escalation in President Donald Trump’s targeting of the South American nation.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “Largest one ever seized actually. And other things are happening.”

The president didn’t supply additional information, but said that the vessel was interdicted for “a very good reason.” When asked what would happen to the ship, he said, “We keep it, I guess.”

Caracas responded to the seizure on Wednesday evening, calling it an “international act of piracy.”

“Under these circumstances, the true reasons for the prolonged aggression against Venezuela have finally been revealed… It has always been about our natural resources, our oil, our energy, the resources that belong exclusively to the Venezuelan people,” the Venezuelan government said in a statement.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video of the seizure on X on Wednesday evening, calling the ship a “crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.”

“For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.,” Bondi wrote.

“This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues.”

Two unnamed officials told Reuters that the operation was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard. They didn’t provide the name of the vessel or where exactly the operation took place.

The intercepted tanker had been sanctioned by the U.S. government, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. The seizure could make it more difficult for the oil-rich nation to conduct trade, as shippers may be wary of handling its cargo. The majority of Venezuelan oil is sent to China.

After the maneuver was revealed, oil prices rose, according to CNBC. Brent crude futures ticked up 27 cents, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased 21 cents.

Spokespeople for the White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.

The naval operation comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom it accuses of facilitating illegal drug trafficking.

Since September, the Pentagon has launched around two dozen strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, killing at least 87 people. At the same time, the U.S. has amassed a fleet of warships near Venezuela, marking the largest naval buildup in the region in decades. And, in October, the Republican president authorized the CIA to undertake covert action inside Venezuela.

“I think you’re going to find that this is war,” Trump said last week. “And very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too,” referring to the naval strikes.

Maduro has denied that his country is involved in the illegal drug trade and has accused the Trump administration of “fabricating a new eternal war.” He’s also said the real motivation behind Trump’s actions is to force him out of office and take control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. In response, he’s called on the nation’s citizens to unite against American aggression and deployed troops, aircraft and ships to the coast.

The administration’s actions in the region have prompted a wave of criticism from Democratic lawmakers.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine described the Pentagon’s strikes in the Caribbean as illegal and warned that they risk dragging a conflict-weary nation in yet another foreign war. “The American people have no interest in stumbling into an illegal new war that would place the lives of our servicemembers at risk,” he said in late November.

A handful of Republicans, too, have expressed opposition. Last week, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — who has faced heightened scrutiny over a September 2 attack— to testify under oath about the boat strikes.

“I think that Congress, if they had any kind of gumption at all, would not be allowing this administration to summarily execute people that are suspected of a crime,” he told The Independent.

Many Republicans, though, have stood in lockstep with the administration. In November, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin said Trump is “protecting the United States by being very proactive.”

Public opinion on Trump’s military maneuvers is mixed. Most Americans, 53 percent, approve of using military force to attack vessels suspected of trafficking drugs into the U.S., according to a November CBS News survey. At the same time, 70 percent said they would oppose taking military action in Venezuela.