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While acknowledging that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is an “illegitimate dictator,” several Indian American lawmakers in the U.S. Congress criticized the Trump administration for using military force without congressional authorization in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas on the morning of January 3, 2025.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) said, “Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate dictator who has inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people, but that reality does not give any president a blank check to use military force without Congress. By acting without congressional authorization and publicly asserting U.S. control over another sovereign nation, President
President Trump is abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers.” Rep. Krishnamoorthi said the administration must immediately account for the safety of U.S. personnel, disclose whether there were any casualties, and fully and promptly brief Congress. He added that the President’s statement that the United States will run Venezuela commits the country to open-ended responsibility.
“Neither the American people nor Congress approved that course. This use of force and claimed control erode the rule of law, embolden Moscow and Beijing to push boundaries elsewhere, weaken America’s credibility, and ultimately make Americans less safe,” he added.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said President Trump betrayed his MAGA base by launching what he described as a war of choice aimed at regime change in Venezuela.
“We keep voting against dumb wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, & Libya. But our Presidents bow to a foreign policy blob committed to militarism. They get us entangled in conflicts abroad, while ignoring the lack of good jobs and high costs for Americans at home,” Rep. Khanna said.
He questioned how the United States would now respond if Xi Jinping sought to capture Taiwan’s leadership or if Vladimir Putin attempted to seize Ukraine’s president.
“The times call for a movement of the American people to stand against bloated defense budgets and warmongering,” Khanna added. “We need statesmen who will heed the advice of Washington and our founders and invest in jobs, healthcare, childcare & education for our people.”
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) described the action in Venezuela as an “illegal military action.”
“The Administration’s actions in Venezuela prove that this has never been about a war on drugs or protecting Americans. This is about regime change and a personal feud with President Maduro. President Trump said he’d be the ‘Peace President’ and wouldn’t start any new wars, and yet here he is illegally invading another country and kidnapping its President. This was done without Congressional approval, and Congress must be briefed about this as soon as possible.”
Rep. Subramanyam said Maduro is a “violent ruler” who has oppressed democracy in Venezuela, but warned that the manner of his capture would not curb drug trafficking or bring stability. “But his capture in this manner will not stop the flow of drugs or promise anything other than more instability in Venezuela, and potentially another forever war started under false pretenses,” he added.
Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) also referred to Maduro as an “illegitimate leader” who has inflicted hardship on the Venezuelan people.
“I hope this moment leads to a real democratic transition driven by the Venezuelan people,” he said, while stressing that launching military strikes without congressional input, support, or authorization is deeply concerning and illegal.
“President Trump has failed to present a clear and credible strategy for governance or democratic transition in Venezuela,” Bera added. “He is drawing our nation into another open-ended conflict and risking a repeat of failed nation-building efforts.”
Rep. Bera said the administration must brief Congress immediately. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, he said he expects both committees to hold prompt and thorough briefings.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), while acknowledging Maduro as an “illegitimate dictator,” said that designation alone does not give President Trump or his administration the authority to invade Venezuela, seize its president in the middle of the night, and force regime change, an approach she said the United States has repeatedly attempted and failed.
She described the action as illegal and unconstitutional, undertaken without congressional authorization and without a plan for the future.
“If this were truly about stopping drug trafficking, Trump would not have recently pardoned the former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking scheme that smuggled 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S,” she added.
“Congress alone has the power to authorize war,” Rep. Jayapal said, urging Republicans to fulfill their constitutional responsibility and join “Democrats in ensuring that Congress reasserts our authority.” She warned that the implications of failing to do so are dire, noting that it could allow any rogue leader to target others at will.
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) echoed those concerns, stating, “Only Congress has the ability to declare war. President Trump’s actions were totally unconstitutional and unacceptable. The American people want us to focus on making life more affordable for them, not starting new wars.”
