Overview
- The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel produced a classified analysis of roughly 20–30 pages and provided it to lawmakers on Tuesday, according to CNN.
- Sources say the opinion builds on a 1989 William Barr memo asserting presidents can direct overseas seizures even if international law would otherwise prohibit them.
- The memo concludes Trump’s Article II authority covered deploying forces for the operation and that its scale did not amount to constitutional war requiring prior authorization.
- A White House official said the rendition was lawful and described the target as the head of a major narco‑trafficking foreign terrorist organization.
- Democratic lawmakers argue the forcible removal of a sitting head of state constitutes an act of war, while U.S. officials maintain it was not regime change and note Delcy Rodríguez is leading Venezuela.