Washington, DC -- Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement following yesterday’s briefing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and other officials on the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela:
“I heard nothing yesterday to dispel my very serious concerns about the Trump administration’s attempted regime-change and nation-building exercise in Venezuela, nor leads me to trust that Trump and his administration are truly operating in the best interests of the American people.
“Donald Trump used U.S. military force to invade a sovereign nation without authorization from Congress. He did so not to address an imminent threat to the United States, nor to advance a democratic transition in Venezuela. Instead, the administration is embracing a dangerous worldview in which the United States can run roughshod over our hemisphere, mirroring the same logic Vladimir Putin uses to justify domination over his neighbors.
“Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate leader. But we are a country of laws, and this president’s blatant disregard for both domestic and international law is reckless and dangerous. Rather than addressing the Republican health care crisis and lowering costs for the American people, this administration is committing billions in taxpayer dollars to an open-ended foreign conflict.
“Critical questions remain on what happens next. Congress is not a spectator in matters of war. I will continue pressing for public hearings, transparency and meaningful oversight to reassert Congress’s constitutional role and prevent further escalation and instability.”
“I heard nothing yesterday to dispel my very serious concerns about the Trump administration’s attempted regime-change and nation-building exercise in Venezuela, nor leads me to trust that Trump and his administration are truly operating in the best interests of the American people.
“Donald Trump used U.S. military force to invade a sovereign nation without authorization from Congress. He did so not to address an imminent threat to the United States, nor to advance a democratic transition in Venezuela. Instead, the administration is embracing a dangerous worldview in which the United States can run roughshod over our hemisphere, mirroring the same logic Vladimir Putin uses to justify domination over his neighbors.
“Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate leader. But we are a country of laws, and this president’s blatant disregard for both domestic and international law is reckless and dangerous. Rather than addressing the Republican health care crisis and lowering costs for the American people, this administration is committing billions in taxpayer dollars to an open-ended foreign conflict.
“Critical questions remain on what happens next. Congress is not a spectator in matters of war. I will continue pressing for public hearings, transparency and meaningful oversight to reassert Congress’s constitutional role and prevent further escalation and instability.”