Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers slam U.S. military strikes on Venezuela

Several U.S. senators, including Republican senators, on Saturday opposed or questioned the Trump administration's military strikes against Venezuela.

Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified and illegal strike on Venezuela, said U.S. Representative Jim McGovern.

"He says we don't have enough money for healthcare for Americans – but somehow we have unlimited funds for war?" McGovern said on social media platform X.

Another U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury said the White House's confirmation of military operations underscored what she called a clear violation of constitutional limits on presidential power. She urged Congress to respond immediately.

"The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in. Immediately," Stansbury said on X.

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz said the U.S. has "no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war." 

"We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now. And he's not even bothering to tell the American public what the hell is going on," Schatz said in a social media post.

Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego posted on X, saying, "This is an illegal war," and that the United States has become "the world's bully."

"We have no reason to go to war with Venezuela," Gallego said, adding that regardless of the outcome, it was wrong for the U.S. to provoke this war.

Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee also posted on social media: "I want to know, in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force, what constitutional basis exists to justify this action?"

The U.S. military launched a series of attacks against Venezuela early Saturday morning, reportedly capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flying them out of the country.

The U.S. military action against the South American nation has drawn widespread international condemnation, with multiple countries calling for a coordinated global response.

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