In a heated exchange on social media, Senator Rand Paul has sharply criticised Vice President JD Vance for his staunch defense of a U.S. military strike on a cartel boat originating from Venezuela.
The controversy erupted when Vance posted on X stating, “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”
Far left influencer Brian Krassenstein then accused Vance of endorsing war crimes by advocating the killing of civilians from another nation without trial, writing “Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.” Vance’s retort was blunt: “I don’t give a shit what you call it.”
Rand Paul, then quoted Vance’s statements and described them as “despicable and thoughtless.”
Paul wrote: “JD ‘I don’t give a shit’ Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the ‘highest and best use of the military.’ Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird? Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation?? What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial.”
JD “I don’t give a shit” Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the “highest and best use of the military.”
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2025
Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?
Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??… https://t.co/VdnJbZkGfS
Paul’s reference to Harper Lee’s novel underscores his concern about the dangers of mob justice and the erosion of due process—a theme central to the book, where an innocent man is nearly lynched based on unfounded accusations. By invoking this, Paul is positioning Vance’s stance as antithetical to American principles of justice.
However, many pointed out that invoking that particular novel in this instance is somewhat ironic.
Funny how people citing Mockingbird forget that Atticus Finch literally shot a rabid dog in the street when it threatened the town.
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) September 7, 2025
That’s the closer parallel to sinking a cartel boat in international waters and he missed it.
…did Rand Paul ever read To Kill A Mockingbird?
And delusional.
Imagine thinking a Navy strike on an armed cartel boat in international waters is the same as Atticus Finch defending an innocent man.
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) September 7, 2025
Pretending a cartel drug boat deserves Atticus Finch’s courtroom defense is straight up delusion.
They were foreign nationals in international waters in the Caribbean. The Bill of Rights that mandates trials does not extend to foreign nationals in international waters. To Kill a Mockingbird was about an American man accused on American soil and the reliance on constitutional…
— Marina Medvin ?? (@MarinaMedvin) September 7, 2025
Oh, behold the audacious temerity of Rand Paul, wielding To Kill a Mockingbird…that hallowed tome of moral rectitude…like a sanctimonious cudgel to shield the vile narcoterrorists poisoning our streets with their fetid wares.
— LHGrey™? (@grey4626) September 7, 2025
What a colossal, brain-dead imbecile, daring to…
The Venezuelan boat strike itself has been part of a broader U.S. effort to combat drug cartels in the Caribbean, with officials claiming the vessel was linked to fentanyl trafficking that has plagued American communities.
Vance’s unapologetic support aligns with the Trump administration’s hardline approach to border security and drug enforcement, including promises to “kick some cartel ass.”
This rhetoric has resonated with many conservatives frustrated by the opioid crisis, but has alienated libertarians like Paul who prioritize individual rights and limited government intervention.
Conservative commentators have sided with Vance, viewing Paul’s criticism as out of touch with the realities of cartel violence.
The worst people in the world agree with you pic.twitter.com/Tq5LTs8c6U
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 7, 2025
Paul is increasingly raising the hackles of the Trump administration and supporters with his contrarian stances on such issues as this and the crime crackdown in DC and now Chicago.
This is the kind of attitude that got us into this mess in the first place.
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) September 7, 2025
The days of coddling terrorists are over.
You lack the will to save the Republic.
Sit down, shut up, and let Trump do what you pretended you were doing.
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno slammed Paul for attacking Vance saying the military should be used to take out narco-terrorists.
“What’s really despicable is defending foreign terrorist drug traffickers who are directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans in Kentucky and Ohio,” Moreno wrote, adding “JD understands that our first responsibility is to protect the life and liberty of American citizens.”
What’s really despicable is defending foreign terrorist drug traffickers who are *directly* responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans in Kentucky and Ohio. JD understands that our first responsibility is to protect the life and liberty of American citizens. https://t.co/CctF4f07nD
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) September 7, 2025
Even John Fetterman, a Democrat, is siding with Trump and Vance on this one.
Fully support confronting the scourge of cartel drug trafficking to our nation. pic.twitter.com/wd0QC7eRTL
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 3, 2025
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People are often charged with murder after killing someone who really deserved it. For some reason, we just don’t trust their judgement.
But surely, our GOVERMENT wouldn’t lie to us?
Naw… We can trust our goverment.
Paul is living in an ideal world in his own mind. His libertarian utopia is as unattainable as the marxist, or fascist utopia.
Rand lives in an outdated fantasy world.
ALL RINO,S DO !
Vance wasn’t being “despicable”, he was just being honest. I think the real problem here is that Paul feels like he’s not relevant anymore and has a need to feel important and look righteous again. He should retire.
McConnell will be gone soon it’s time to primary Paul, he must be getting advice from McConnell, Massie needs to go as Kentucky is full of RINOS.
Rand is right. Again. You low I.Q. retards will never get it. That’s why our cpunrty is going to hell. You are just as brainwashed as the Assholic Left.
For someone with such a high IQ, you sure can’t write worth a damn. You have typos, misspellings, sentence fragments, and issues with incorrect capitalization. You sound like a complete fool. Maybe proofread before posting idiotic garbage about your superior intellect.
And Obama killed an American citizen without ’due process’ with no repercussions or protest
The only reason the innocent man in Mockingbird didn’t get lynched is because he killed himself, FYI.
To Kill a Mockingbird is … wait for it … FICTION.
Dear Rand … please make a note of it. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Rand Paul is a pussy cuck. He got his ass beat by a doctor lol. He represents his constituents well.
Most of these politicians live in a bubble now. Vote for the man or woman on the street that have to deal with this criminal element every day and set term limits so he or she doesn’t get bought by big everything lobbies. The school janitor or the librarian will accomplish 10 times more.