Senior Senate Democrats are accusing the Defense Department of working alongside human rights abusers and coup-based governments.

Sens. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said the Pentagon appears to be violating the Leahy Law, which ensures U.S. military assistance doesn’t reach countries with “abysmal” human rights records.

This week, the senators sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying they were concerned about U.S. troops holding military exercises alongside suspect countries like Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Sudan, often helping them cover their expenses.

“I am concerned that not only has the Department of Defense invited countries sanctioned for coups against their elected governments and nations with abysmal human rights records to joint military training exercises, but has also provided U.S. taxpayer dollars and support for them to attend — all without Leahy vetting,” Mr. Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

The Pentagon doesn’t consider training exercises or support to defray attendance expenses as “assistance” under the Leahy Law. The two Senators disagree.

“Training operations should not be used as a backdoor to prop up militaries who wouldn’t pass our human rights vetting,” Ms. Warren said. “It violates the law and our values to fund and support countries with egregious human rights records.”

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.