On this photograph launched by the White Home, President Donald Trump displays U.S. army operations in Venezuela, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White Home deputy chief of workers Stephen Miller at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.
Molly Riley/White Home by way of AP
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Molly Riley/White Home by way of AP
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Sunday america will not be at warfare with Venezuela, including that the U.S. is “running policy” in Venezuela — not with troops on the bottom however by monetary leverage on the remaining allies of former-President Nicolas Maduro.
“We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction because not only do we think it’s good for the people of Venezuela, it’s in our national interest,” Rubio mentioned in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Rubio, who can be President Trump’s interim nationwide safety adviser, mentioned the U.S. will implement its affect by an current “oil quarantine” imposed by U.S. naval vessels close to the coast of Venezuela.
“Our military is helping the Coast Guard conduct a law enforcement function, which is not just the capture of Maduro, but the enforcement of our sanctions,” Rubio mentioned on this system. “And we think that’s just tremendous leverage, incredible crippling leverage, which we intend to continue to use until we see the changes that we need to see.”
Since September, U.S. forces have struck at the very least 35 alleged drug boats, killed at the very least 115 individuals on board and seized oil tankers close to Venezuela.
The feedback supply the primary glimpse of what U.S. coverage towards Venezuela will appear like following the weekend raid that captured the nation’s chief, and Trump’s remarks that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., echoed Rubio in calling for a stress marketing campaign in opposition to Maduro’s allies who nonetheless management the nation. Cotton particularly named interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who beforehand served as vice chairman below Maduro.
“They have control of the military and security services,” Cotton informed CNN. “We have to deal with that fact.”
Throughout a Sunday interview with The Atlantic journal, Trump mentioned Rodriguez would “pay a very big price” if she did not cooperate, a day after he claimed that she was on board with the U.S. plans.
The Trump’s administrations actions over the weekend will seemingly see the primary indicators of home pushback this week within the type of congressional Democrats.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned Trump for ordering the Saturday army operation with out consulting Congress. The administration argues that it did not have to notify Congress as a result of Maduro was arrested in a legislation enforcement motion. The Venezuelan president will seem earlier than a New York choose Monday.
“They went inside Venezuela, bombed civilian as well as military places,” Schumer mentioned. “And it’s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.”
Schumer mentioned Sunday he plans to carry a vote on a warfare powers decision this week that will restrict Trump’s potential to assault Venezuela with out Congressional approval.
“If it’s voted positively in both houses, then the president can’t do another thing in Venezuela without the OK of Congress,” Schumer mentioned.
Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the one GOP member publicly supporting the decision up to now. Not like different measures, this decision wants a easy majority to move the Senate — that means solely three extra Republicans must help it to advance the measure. It’s unclear if the measure has Republican help past Paul.
