Washington, Jan 3,
The US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has deepened partisan divisions on Capitol Hill, with Republicans rallying behind President Donald Trump and Democrats warning the action was unconstitutional and risks pulling the United States into another conflict.
Senior Democrats said Congress was bypassed and questioned the legality and long-term consequences of the operation, even as many reiterated that Maduro was not Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Congress should have authorized any use of military force. Democrats alleged congressional committees were notified only after the operation had taken place.
The administration cited President Trump’s authority as commander in chief under Article II of the Constitution and the threat posed by Maduro’s government.
Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey accused senior administration officials of misleading lawmakers. “Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth looked every Senator in the eye a few weeks ago and said this wasn’t about regime change. I didn’t trust them then, and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,” Kim wrote on X.
“This strike doesn’t represent strength. It’s not sound foreign policy,” Kim said, warning it “puts Americans at risk in Venezuela and the region” and sends “a horrible and disturbing signal” globally. He added it would “further damage our reputation.”
Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona called the operation the “second unjustified war in my lifetime,” writing online, “This war is illegal.” In a separate post, he said, “No matter the outcome, we are in the wrong for starting this war in Venezuela.”
Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said the strike was launched “without authorization from Congress,” calling it “unjustified” and “illegal.” Fellow Massachusetts Democrat Jake Auchincloss said US troops “deserve a commander in chief operating lawfully and strategically,” adding the president had “no authority to strike Venezuela.”
Republicans, by contrast, defended both the operation and the lack of advance notice to Congress. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, confirmed that congressional leaders were not notified in advance but said that was appropriate. “That’s probably one reason it didn’t leak over these four days as they were waiting for the right weather,” Cotton said on Fox News.
“Congress isn’t notified when the FBI is going to arrest a drug trafficker or cyber criminal here in the United States, nor should Congress be notified when the executive branch is executing arrests on indicted persons,” Cotton said. “Congress doesn’t need to be notified every time the executive branch is making an arrest.”
Cotton noted that the FBI was part of the operation to arrest Maduro and his wife, who are being brought to the United States on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast said the capture of Maduro was “another win by President Trump to protect our homeland and clean up the backyard of the United States.” “Drug lords and terrorists will no longer operate freely in our hemisphere,” Mast said.
Senator Lindsey Graham also forcefully backed the operation. “If you can’t celebrate the fact that our military, under President Trump’s command, bravely captured and brought to justice an evil, corrupt narcoterrorist dictator with American blood on his hands, then your hatred of President Trump denies you the ability to celebrate making America safer,” Graham wrote on X. In a separate post, he said, “An evil, narcoterrorist dictator has fallen, creating a path for freedom for the wonderful, highly intelligent, hard-working people of Venezuela.”
Senate Republican leader John Thune called the capture “an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States,” describing it as “decisive action” by Trump.
Maduro was first indicted in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges, with US prosecutors alleging he conspired with Colombian guerrillas to smuggle cocaine into the United States.
