President Donald Trump's weekend military operation in Venezuela has sparked fierce backlash from Democratic leaders, who are calling it unconstitutional, reckless, and driven more by oil interests than legitimate security concerns.
The Operation and Its Aftermath
U.S. forces conducted airstrikes in Venezuela early Saturday morning, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and transporting him to a detention facility in New York. According to CBS News, Maduro now faces federal charges of drug trafficking and collaborating with organizations designated as terrorist groups.
Trump has celebrated the operation as a win against a "brutal dictator" and said the United States will "run" Venezuela during a transition period. But that framing hasn't satisfied his critics, who see something far more troubling at play.
Congressional Democrats Push Back Hard
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took to X on Sunday to slam the action, saying Trump "has, once again, shown his contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law." Sanders warned that the operation establishes a dangerous precedent that other countries might follow, and he's calling on Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution to shut down what he considers an illegal military operation.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris went further, characterizing the strike as "both unlawful and unwise." She argued it was motivated by oil and Trump's desire to project strength rather than any genuine effort to protect American interests.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) cautioned that the military action "threatens to drag the U.S. into further conflicts in the region" and diverts attention from pressing domestic issues like healthcare, housing, and cost-of-living challenges.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) added that the operation was "clearly illegal under international law" and risks teaching Russia and China that powerful nations can simply seize foreign leaders without justification.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) called it an unauthorized act of war designed to seize oil and advance billionaire interests rather than protect national security. He described the strike as a grave abuse of presidential power that endangers American troops and urged Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over military decisions.
Republican Defense
Not everyone sees it that way. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) defended Trump's operation, pointing out that Maduro is an indicted drug trafficker whose actions have contributed to American deaths. Cotton argued the operation will help keep Americans safe from illegal drugs flooding across the border.
The debate highlights a fundamental split over presidential war powers and what constitutes legitimate grounds for military intervention. Whether Congress will actually move on a War Powers Resolution remains to be seen, but the political battle lines are already firmly drawn.