Republican Support for U.S. Action in Venezuela
Republican lawmakers have expressed strong backing for the actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration following the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the detention of its leader, Nicolás Maduro.
Rep. Carlos Jimenez (R-Florida), who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and represents a district with many Venezuelan refugees, mentioned having a conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the operation. He stated, “President Trump changed the course of history in our hemisphere. He has made our country and the world safer. Today’s decisive action is the equivalent of the fall of the Berlin Wall in this hemisphere,” in a post on X.
It seems Rubio provided clarifications to several Congress members even after the operation concluded. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also spoke with Rubio, who confirmed that Maduro is in custody and “will be tried for crimes against the people.”
“Venezuela’s transitional government must choose between perpetuating drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba, or behaving like a normal country and reintegrating into the civilized world. I urge you to choose wisely,” Cotton expressed in a statement.
Interestingly, some Republicans who were initially doubtful appeared more at ease after their discussions with Rubio.
For instance, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) voiced concerns about the constitutional justification for the action, given the absence of a war declaration or authorization for military force. He later clarified, “Mr. Rubio informed me that Nicolás Maduro was arrested by U.S. military personnel for trial on criminal charges in the U.S. The force we saw tonight was used to protect those executing the arrest warrant.” He noted that this action likely fell within the president’s authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. military personnel.
However, the overall sentiment among Republicans who spoke on Saturday morning leaned strongly in support of the administration. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), who chairs the House subcommittee overseeing State Department funding, declared, “For years, President Maduro has quietly pumped drugs into our country, killed countless Americans, kidnapped innocent Americans, and flooded our country with violent cartel members from Torren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles, all while destabilizing the region.” He added, “While others hesitated, President Trump recognized this threat for what it was and acted with determination.”
