Alabama Delegation Split Over Trump’s Venezuelan Operation
The overnight raid in Venezuela's capital to neutralize the South American country's military forces and seize their strongman president Nicolás Maduro and his wife went off without a hitch according to a Saturday morning briefing by President Trump. But the operation has sparked predictable reaction by members of congress. Most of the compliant Republican members have backed President Trump's unilateral approval of the attack while Democrats are calling the president's by-pass of congressional oversight illegal.
Rection by members of the Alabama Congressional Delegation have followed party lines.
West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell (6th District) released a statement on her official U.S. House website calling the military operation "unauthorized".
"There is no doubt that Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate and corrupt leader, but President Trump does NOT have the authority to unilaterally invade a sovereign country, capture its leader, and haul them back to the United States. His reckless actions threaten to further destabilize the region and put our troops in harm's way while dragging us into another regime-change war against the will of the American people. The fact that he did so without even briefing Congress, let alone seeking congressional approval—as required by the Constitution—is extremely alarming and sets a dangerous precedent.
"The Trump Administration must immediately explain to Congress and the American people why such an attack was justified and how it plans to ensure stability in the region."
West Alabama Republican Congressman Robert Aderholt (4th District) called Maduro a narco-terrorist: "Nicolás Maduro has faced narco-terrorism charges in the United States for half a decade now, and it’s time he face those charges head-on in a U.S. courtroom. I applaud President Trump for carrying out his duties to ensure Maduro and his wife are brought to justice. Anyone who kills thousands of American lives as Maduro has done, should be held accountable."
In the upper chamber, Alabama Republican U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville backed Trump in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "Nicolas Maduro is the leader of a TERRORIST gang and has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans through illegal drugs. Thank you to the brave service members who have apprehended this CRIMINAL and sacrifice every day to keep America safe. This is what AMERICA FIRST national security looks like. Let this be a warning to ANYONE who threatens our country."
Sen. Katie Britt, like Tuberville is one of Trump's strongest congressional allies, she also reaction to Trump's attack with a post on X: “The step taken today by @POTUS to take the brutal narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro into custody was bold, courageous, and will save countless lives,” Britt wrote. “I’m thankful to the members of our military and law enforcement officials who successfully executed this mission and look forward to Maduro having his long-overdue day in court.”
Since October, the Senate has considered but not approved two resolutions pursuant to the War Powers Resolution that would direct the President to terminate the use of the U.S. military for hostilities against Venezuela (S.J.Res. 90) without congressional authorization. A similar resolution has been introduced in the House (H.Con.Res. 61).
During his morning nationally televised media briefing, Trump asserted that drug trafficking and terrorism involving or associated with Maduro threaten U.S. national security and justify the overnight seizure of Maduro and his wife. They are being brought to the U.S. to face multiple charges.
Indictments from 1999, unsealed today, claim the defendants partnered with international drug trafficking organizations to ultimately transport thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States and provided support for terrorism across the Americas.
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