As news spread Saturday morning of the surprise capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, several Connecticut politicians are weighing in and condemning the U.S. special operation.
The operation to seize the Venezuelan leader began early Saturday morning as special forces launched a targeted operation in the capital of Caracas, according to the Associated Press. The operation resulted in the arrests of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are now onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Iwo Jima, officials said. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says the pair will face narco-terrorism charges in U.S. courts.
U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal took to social media to criticize the operation as illegal. Murphy, in a post on X, said that Congress was not briefed on the operation beforehand and did not authorize the strikes. He criticized the Trump administration for its “illegal war” and as a distraction from the president being named in files with accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein known as the “Epstein Files.”
“President Trump thinks he is above the law. He steals from taxpayers. He thumbs his nose at the law. And now, he is starting an illegal war with Venezuela that Americans didn’t ask for and has nothing to do with our security. How does going to war in South America help regular Americans who are struggling? How does this do anything about drugs entering the U.S. when Venezuela produces no fentanyl? What is the actual security threat to the United States? And happens next in Venezuela?” Chris Murphy said in a statement on X.
“He cannot answer these questions – and that’s why there was no briefing to Congress to explain this action, and no briefing scheduled. And Maduro’s illegitimate election does not give the president the power to invade without congressional approval, nor does it create a national security justification. That contention is laughable. This is about satisfying Trump’s vanity, making good on the long standing neocon grudge against Maduro, enriching Trump’s oil industry backers, and distracting voters from Epstein and rising costs,” he said.
U.S. Sen. Blumenthal echoed a similar statement saying that Congress only has the power to declare acts of war.
“If we’re starting another endless war, with no clear national security strategy or need, count me out. Maduro is a cruel criminal dictator, but President Trump has never sought approval from Congress for war as the Constitution requires – and our military deserves. We’ve seen several Administrations lead us into conflicts without objectives or timelines and with disastrous consequences. President Trump has also articulated no clear end game to prevent further chaos, violence, and bloodshed in Venezuela. The American people deserve—and Congress should demand—facts and clarity,” Blumenthal said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, questioned the necessity of the strike and called for an immediate Congressional briefing.
“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization, nor have I heard a strategy for the day after and how we will prevent Venezuela from descending into chaos. Secretary Rubio repeatedly denied to Congress that the Administration intended to force regime change in Venezuela. The Administration must immediately brief Congress on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, released a statement condemning the strike.
“President Trump’s claim that today’s unauthorized, unilateral military strike in Venezuela is a ‘law enforcement’ action against indicted drug trafficker Maduro rings hollow after the President just pardoned a convicted drug dealer, the former President of Honduras, who was serving a 45-year sentence in U.S. prison, 34 days ago,” Courtney said. “Maduro is a loathsome dictator – that is not in dispute. However, as General David Petraeus stated, before using military force, answer the question ‘How does this end?’ President Trump’s remarks and his own contradictory actions fail that simple but crucial test. In particular, his declaration that ‘we are going to run the country’ is an alarming open-ended policy of occupation. The constitution screams out for Congress to reassert its role to decide use of military force. Our country’s military servicemembers and citizenry deserve better.”
State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, a candidate for Congress who is challenging longtime incumbent John Larson, called the operation “a dangerous abuse of power.”
“Starting a war without legal authority and abducting foreign leaders is a dangerous abuse of power. Congress needs to wake up before another generation of young Americans is sent to die in a fool’s war over oil,” Gilchrest said.
Connecticut Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) released the following statement in response to the military action in Venezuela.
“President Trump never laid out the need or the plan to the American people or Congress before attacking a sovereign nation and putting the lives of the men and women of our military at risk. This is an unpopular and illegal attack motivated by the vanity of a President focused on TV ratings instead of exploding prices here at home,” Duff said.
“Trump has been playing pretend strong man by going on a bombing spree around the world after campaigning on ending wars and putting America first. He’s done the exact opposite, making America weaker. No matter how many military actions he takes, Trump can’t deflect from his failed policies of higher prices and a country that is less affordable today than in 2024.”
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
