Democrats erupted in anger Saturday after President Donald Trump revealed that the U.S. military had launched a surprise operation in Venezuela that he claims resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Trump’s dramatic announcement immediately triggered bipartisan alarm on Capitol Hill, with Democrats accusing the White House of bypassing Congress, misleading lawmakers, and launching an open-ended foreign intervention with no plan for what comes next.
At a Mar-a-Lago news conference, Trump said the United States would now “run Venezuela” for an unspecified period of time, a declaration that stunned lawmakers who say they were repeatedly assured no such operation was coming.
Democratic Leaders Warn of Another Costly Regime Change
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the administration had explicitly denied pursuing military action or regime change in Venezuela.
“The administration assured me three separate times that it was not pursuing regime change or taking military action,” Schumer said. “Clearly, they are not being straight with Americans. The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans. We have seen this before and paid a devastating price.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries drew direct comparisons to past U.S. interventions that spiraled into prolonged wars.
“The promotion of security and stability in a region requires more than just military force,” Jeffries said. “We painfully learned that lesson in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Congress Kept in the Dark
Trump first disclosed the operation in an early morning Truth Social post on Saturday, triggering praise from Republican allies but immediate outrage from Democrats. Lawmakers said the administration notified the Gang of Eight, which includes top congressional leaders and intelligence committee members, only after the operation had already begun.
A Schumer spokesperson confirmed that congressional leaders received no advance notice. Jeffries said the White House “failed to properly notify Congress” and demanded an immediate briefing to explain what he called an “Unauthorized Use of Military Force”: Congress Furious Over Trump’s Venezuela Operation.
Trump defended the secrecy, telling reporters that Congress “has a tendency to leak” and suggesting advance notice could have jeopardized the mission.
Trump Dismisses Democratic Criticism
Earlier Saturday, Trump brushed off the backlash during a Fox News interview, saying Democrats “all they do is complain.”
“They should say, ‘Great job,’” Trump said. “They shouldn’t say, ‘Oh, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ Same old stuff we’ve heard for years.”
Rank-and-File Democrats Lead the Backlash
Even before party leaders spoke out, Democratic lawmakers flooded social media with condemnation.
“Congress did not authorize this war,” Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts wrote. “Venezuela posed no imminent threat to the United States. This is reckless, elective regime change risking American lives. Iraq 2.0. Wars cost more than trophies.”
Congress has not authorized military action against Venezuela. Lawmakers have been divided for months over the legality of the administration’s actions in Latin America, including strikes on suspected drug trafficking vessels. Republicans have repeatedly blocked Democratic efforts to force Trump to seek congressional approval before escalating further.
Lawmakers Push to Reassert War Powers
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia announced he would again force a vote to constrain Trump’s war powers.
“Where will this go next?” Kaine wrote. He questioned whether Trump could next deploy troops to Iran, Gaza, Nigeria, Greenland, the Panama Canal, or even against Americans protesting his policies, all without congressional approval.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee initially raised concerns about the legal basis for the strike. After speaking with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lee said the operation likely fell within the president’s Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel from imminent threats.
Democrats Accuse Administration of Lying to Congress
Several Democrats said the strike directly contradicted assurances they received from administration officials.
“Secretaries Rubio and Pete Hegseth looked every senator in the eye weeks ago and said this wasn’t about regime change,” Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey wrote. “They blatantly lied to Congress.”
Kim said the administration avoided the constitutional approval process because Americans overwhelmingly oppose another foreign war.
Veterans Question the Endgame
Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a combat veteran who served in Iraq, said Americans never asked for this conflict.
“So who is in charge of Venezuela now?” Gallego asked.
A December Quinnipiac poll found just 25 percent of Americans support military intervention in Venezuela. Even the administration’s previous strategy of targeting alleged drug traffickers at sea proved broadly unpopular.
“I fought in some of the hardest battles of the Iraq War,” Gallego wrote. “Saw my brothers die and civilians caught in the crossfire for an unjustified war. No matter the outcome, we are wrong for starting this war in Venezuela.”
Mixed Reactions From South Florida Democrats
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, called Maduro’s capture “welcome news” but criticized Trump for excluding Congress.
“The absence of congressional involvement prior to this action risks the continuation of illegitimate governance,” she said.
Other Democrats were far more forceful in their opposition.
“This escalation goes against the will of the American people who voted to end unnecessary foreign wars,” Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico said.
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona urged Congress to reclaim its authority.
“If we learned anything from Iraq, it’s that toppling a leader doesn’t guarantee democracy or stability,” Kelly said. “More often, it leads to chaos, war, and occupation. I don’t trust that this administration has a plan, timeline, or price tag.”
GOP Hawks Push Back
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed legal objections outright, accusing Democrats of weakness.
“To the hand-wringing liberal Democrats who seem okay with a perpetual drug caliphate in our backyard,” Graham wrote, “get a grip.”
For Democrats, the concern is not only the legality of the strike, but the fear that the United States has once again launched itself into a foreign conflict with no clear exit and no public consent.
