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Year: 2026

House GOP critics break with Trump over Venezuela operation that captured Maduro

House GOP critics break with Trump over Venezuela operation that captured Maduro

President Donald Trump’s House GOP critics are ripping the administration’s operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the first to criticize the Trump administration’s operation in Venezuela, again breaking from the majority of his party and butting heads with the commander in chief. Massie, a longtime critic of U.S. foreign intervention, appeared to question the legality of the federal government’s Venezuela strikes. “If this action were constitutionally sound, the Attorney General wouldn’t be tweeting that they’ve arrested the President of a sovereign country and his wife for possessing guns in violation of a 1934 U.S. firearm law,” Massie posted to X Saturday morning. US CAPTURE OF MADURO CHAMPIONED, CONDEMNED ACROSS WORLD STAGE AFTER SURGICAL VENEZUELA STRIKES The Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed a four-count indictment against Maduro after Trump confirmed the U.S. took custody of the Venezuelan leader and his wife following strikes in the capital of Caracas. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement those charges were narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States. It’s not immediately clear what Maduro’s wife, Celia Flores, has been charged with. In a follow-up posted on the charges, Massie said, “25-page indictment but no mention of fentanyl or stolen oil. Search it for yourself.” Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and Flores were being flown to the USS Iwo Jima, which will bring them to the U.S., where they will face criminal proceedings led by the Southern District of New York. Massie’s criticism was followed by scathing comments by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., another Trump critic who is retiring from Congress early next week before finishing her term. TRUMP CASTS MADURO’S OUSTER AS ‘SMART’ MOVE AS RUSSIA, CHINA ENTER THE FRAY “If U.S. military action and regime change in Venezuela was really about saving American lives from deadly drugs, then why hasn’t the Trump admin taken action against Mexican cartels? And if prosecuting narco terrorists is a high priority, then why did President Trump pardon the former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted and sentenced for 45 years for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into America?” part of Greene’s statement read. “The next obvious observation is that by removing Maduro this is a clear move for control over Venezuelan oil supplies that will ensure stability for the next obvious regime change war in Iran. And of course, why is it ok for America to militarily invade, bomb, and arrest a foreign leader, but Russia is evil for invading Ukraine and China is bad for aggression against Taiwan? Is it only ok if we do it? (I’m not endorsing Russia or China).” Meanwhile, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., praised the operation but expressed concerns about what precedent is being set. “My main concern now is that Russia will use this to justify their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine or China to justify an invasion of Taiwan,” Bacon said in a statement. “Freedom and rule of law were defended last night, but dictators will try to exploit this to rationalize their selfish objectives.” Bacon is also retiring from Congress, but, unlike Greene, he is serving out his full term. The vast majority of Republican lawmakers unequivocally backed the operation as expected.  Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., both said they expected congressional briefings from the Trump administration in the coming days when lawmakers return from a two-week recess. 

ICE highlights ‘best of the best’ agents who jumped into action at crash sites

ICE highlights ‘best of the best’ agents who jumped into action at crash sites

After a year in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically increased its operations under President Donald Trump and simultaneously faced an increase in attacks against officials, the agency is highlighting the “best of the best” agents for particularly heroic actions in the line of duty. In a Friday statement, ICE said that “despite the obstacles they face, including record numbers of violent anti-ICE rioters assaulting law enforcement, terrorist attacks, and bounties placed on their heads, our courageous officers have proven their commitment to upholding the rule of law in the United States and making America safe again.” According to the agency, agents faced an increase of 1,347 percent in assaults and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against them. ICE blamed these increases on “lies and smears from sanctuary politicians and radical activists, and hoaxes spread by the media.” “Despite that, their heroic efforts have led to historic results, helping DHS remove more than 622,000 illegal aliens,” ICE said, noting that tens of thousands of those removals were of criminal offenders, including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, terrorists and gang members. WAVE OF CAR ATTACKS ON ICE AGENTS FOLLOWS INCENDIARY RHETORIC FROM TARGET-CITY LEADERS “That, coupled with more than 2 million illegal aliens who chose to self-deport, has created a cycle that benefits the American public,” the agency said, adding, “As ICE continues to remove more illegal aliens, more illegal aliens wisely choose to self-deport and avoid arrest.” Among the stories highlighted by the agency was a July 11 incident in Philadelphia in which two ICE officers encountered a truck that had veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The agency said the pair “sprang into action, rescuing the driver and extinguishing an engine fire while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.” In Dallas, the agency said that ICE officers witnessed a pickup truck lose control after losing a tire, causing it to roll seven times and land upside-down. ICE said its officers and two bystanders pried open the truck’s door and pulled the driver to safety. On Sept. 25, ICE said that members of its Denver special response team saved another man’s life by pulling him from a burning car along the highway. The agency said the team was en route to the Broadview, Illinois, processing facility on Sept. 25 when they approached the fiery aftermath of a multi-car highway collision. OREGON RESIDENTS SUE HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER TEAR GAS USED ON ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS ICE said that “as smoke billowed from the small car, the officers responded quickly and discovered a man with his legs pinned under the dashboard inside, unconscious and covered in blood.” The agents broke the vehicle’s window, extracted the man, and provided first aid before emergency responders arrived at the scene and transported him to a hospital. In Nuevo, California, the agency said that on Oct. 2, an off-duty ICE officer discovered a man suffering from a serious neck wound and quickly provided lifesaving aid to him while instructing his son to call 911. ICE said the officer used his own first-aid kit and applied a pressure bandage to control the heavy bleeding and stabilize the victim before first responders arrived to transport the victim to a hospital. Just weeks later, on Oct. 21, the agency said that an ICE deportation officer was conducting enforcement actions in Philadelphia when he heard multiple gunshots nearby. According to the agency, the officer then saw three juveniles fleeing the area and discovered a man who had been shot in the left thigh. ICE said that he and officers from the Philadelphia Police Department applied a tourniquet, and local police drove the man to a nearby hospital for treatment. ICE AGENTS OPEN FIRE ON VAN DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO RUN THEM OVER ON CHRISTMAS EVE Commenting on these stories, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that “courage is measured by actions, not words.” “Every day, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] officers show up knowing the risks they face — and they choose to serve anyway,” said Lyons. “And throughout the year, officers across the agency demonstrated professionalism, restraint and courage in moments that demanded all three.” “These stories remind us that law enforcement is about responsibility to the communities we serve, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of this organization,” he added.

House Democrat calls Trump’s Maduro capture ‘welcome news’ as left labels it ‘illegal’

House Democrat calls Trump’s Maduro capture ‘welcome news’ as left labels it ‘illegal’

At least one House Democrat is praising President Donald Trump’s capture of Nicolás Maduro after the U.S. conducted surprise strikes in Venezuela overnight Saturday night. “The capture of the brutal, illegitimate ruler of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who oppressed Venezuela’s people is welcome news for my friends and neighbors who fled his violent, lawless, and disastrous rule. However, cutting off the head of a snake is fruitless if it just regrows,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., wrote on X. “Venezuelans deserve the promise of democracy and the rule of law, not a state of endless violence and spiraling disorder. My hope is it offers a passage to true democracy and liberation. This action offers beleaguered Venezuelans a chance to seat their true, democratically elected president, Edmundo González.” She criticized the GOP administration for apparently failing to notify Congress beforehand, however. “I’ll demand answers as to why Congress and the American people were bypassed in this effort. The absence of congressional involvement prior to this action risks the continuation of the illegitimate Venezuelan regime. Congress must be properly informed and hold hearings on this invasion. As always, I will work to bring about the promise of a liberated Venezuela,” she wrote. Wasserman Schultz’s home state of Florida is notably home to a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, as well as refugees from other communist Latin American dictatorships like Cuba. Her response to the U.S. operation is far different from the majority of her colleagues on the left, however. Congressional Democrats are largely accusing Trump of green-lighting illegal actions in Venezuela after the U.S. carried out multiple strikes and captured Maduro and his wife. While some responses were more muted than others, the majority of Democratic lawmakers argued that the Trump administration undermined U.S. law with the operation. “The Trump administration launched a large-scale military attack on a sovereign nation and kidnapped its sitting president, without congressional approval and without consideration of any of the consequences their illegal actions may bring,” Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., wrote on X. “This act of aggression is unconstitutional, un-American, and a direct threat to our democracy.” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who served with the U.S. Marine Corps during the Iraq War, echoed a similar line. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO “There is no justification for the United States to be at war with Venezuela. I lived through the consequences of an illegal war sold to the American people with lies. We swore we would never repeat those mistakes. Yet here we are again,” Gallego said in his own statement. Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., another military veteran, accused Trump of running afoul of the Constitution. “Let there be no mistake, President Trump has started a war in Venezuela, without any congressional approval, and in violation of the Constitution. Over the past 2 decades, we have learned the hard way that wars are easy to start and hard to finish,” Vindman wrote on X. “A plan rarely survives first contact. Having served in Iraq, I’ve seen this firsthand. Trump is wrong to start a war in Venezuela. It is not what the American people want, it is not putting America first, and it is not worth American blood and treasure.” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was more blunt in his assessment. “When I talk to Californians, you know what ranks lowest on their priorities? Illegally going to war with Venezuela. Just lower the damn prices,” Swalwell wrote on X. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., wrote, “Trump’s illegal and unprovoked bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of its president are grave violations of international law and the U.S. Constitution. These are the actions of a rogue state.” Other Democrats were more muted in their criticism, instead focusing on calling for more information from the White House. VENEZUELA ARRESTS MORE AMERICANS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: REPORT “While I strongly oppose the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s military action was a serious constitutional violation,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. “The Trump administration does not have sole authority to commit such acts, and I reaffirm my position that Congress must be fully informed before the U.S. engages in hostilities towards another nation. I urge for an immediate and full briefing for Members of Congress following ongoing developments in Venezuela and the subsequent long-term consequences in the region.” It comes after Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” and its leader. He said Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently said both were indicted in the Southern District of New York, one of the largest federal prosecutorial offices in the U.S.

Republicans line up behind Trump after US strikes Venezuela, Maduro arrested: ‘Changed the course of history’

Republicans line up behind Trump after US strikes Venezuela, Maduro arrested: ‘Changed the course of history’

Republican lawmakers are emphatically backing President Donald Trump’s administration after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its leader, Nicolás Maduro. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., a member of the House Armed Services Committee whose district is home to a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the operation was carried out. “President Trump has changed the course of history in our hemisphere. Our country & the world are safer for it. Today’s decisive action is this hemisphere’s equivalent to the Fall of the Berlin Wall,” Gimenez wrote in a statement on X. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO Rubio had apparently briefed multiple members of Congress after the operation was carried out as well. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., praised Maduro’s capture after speaking with Rubio and said he expected senators to be briefed when Congress is back from its two-week holiday recess starting Monday. “President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States. I am grateful for the brave men and women of our armed forces who carried out this necessary action,” Thune said. “I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., confirmed in a statement that the Trump administration “is working to schedule briefings for Members as Congress returns to Washington next week.” “Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives,” Johnson said. “President Trump is putting American lives first, succeeding where others have failed, and under his leadership the United States will no longer allow criminal regimes to profit from wreaking havoc and destruction on our country.” VENEZUELA ARRESTS MORE AMERICANS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: REPORT A member on the Senate’s Armed Services panel, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he also spoke with Rubio, who confirmed Maduro was in custody “and will face justice for his crimes against our citizens.” “The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely,” Cotton said in a statement. Even Republicans who appeared skeptical at first seemed eased after conversations with Rubio. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for instance, said he was keen to learn “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.” He later said Rubio “informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.” “This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” Lee wrote. The majority of GOP lawmakers who spoke out on Saturday morning did so with emphatic backing of the administration, however. That includes both House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford, R-Ark. “The operation carried out last night capturing Nicolás Maduro is another win by President Trump to protect our homeland and clean up the backyard of the United States,” Mast told Fox News Digital. Crawford said in a statement, “This is a historic day in the Western Hemisphere, 36 years after the capture of Manuel Noriega, when the U.S showed we will not allow cartels to take over countries in our shared neighborhood. The arrest of Cartel De Los Soles leader Nicolás Maduro shows this clearly.” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the No. 3 GOP leader in the lower chamber, told Fox News Digital, “Maduro worked with our greatest adversaries, supported dangerous cartels, and infiltrated our country with drugs, killing Americans. President Trump took on this threat head-on today and Maduro was indicted in a U.S. court for his actions leading to the death of innocent Americans. God bless our troops and law enforcement who conducted this mission.” House GOP Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a senior member of both committees, said, “l am grateful for our brave troops, intelligence officers, and law enforcement who ensured a successful military operation in Venezuela leading to the arrest and indictment of the illegitimate narco terrorist Nicolás Maduro.” It’s a stark departure from the majority of Democrats who largely accused Trump of violating the U.S. Constitution and entering an illegal conflict with Venezuela. It comes after Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” and its leader. He said Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently said both were indicted in the Southern District of New York, one of the largest federal prosecutorial offices in the U.S.