Khanna Demands Congress Block Potential Trump Military Action in Venezuela
The threat of unilateral military intervention by the United States in Venezuela looms large, prompting urgent calls for congressional action to prevent what some lawmakers are calling an unconstitutional and unneeded escalation.
US Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Friday demanded immediate congressional intervention to avert “another endless, regime change war.” “Speak up and stop this,” Khanna stated in a video shared on social media. “No president, according to the Constitution, has the authority to strike another country without Congress’ approval. And the American people have voted against regime change and endless wars.”
Khanna’s remarks followed reporting from the Miami Herald and the Wall Street Journal detailing internal discussions within the Trump administration regarding potential airstrike targets inside Venezuela. The Herald reported on Friday that the administration “has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment.” The Wall Street Journal, in a report published Thursday, offered a more cautious assessment, stating that the administration “has identified targets in Venezuela that include military facilities used to smuggle drugs,” but emphasized that President Trump had not yet made a final decision regarding land strikes.
A related report highlighted previous actions by the Trump administration, noting that “the Trump administration’s strikes on small boats at sea constitute unlawful extrajudicial killings.”
According to sources cited by the Journal, the intended targets would be designed “to send a clear message to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro that it is time to step down.” However, the White House subsequently denied that Trump had finalized plans for a military strike. Trump himself,speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday,acknowledged he hadn’t made a final decision,while concurrently suggesting he believed he possessed the authority to act unilaterally.
Last week, the president publicly indicated that land strikes were “going to be next,” following earlier, controversial strikes on boats in waters off the coasts of Central and South America. Trump has explicitly stated he would not seek congressional approval before launching an attack on Venezuela.
This potential, unauthorized US attack on Venezuela, coupled with the administration’s increasing military presence in the Caribbean, has sparked opposition from a limited number of lawmakers currently navigating a government shutdown. As of Friday,onyl three senators – Tim Kaine (D-Va.),Rand Paul (R-Ky.),and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) – had officially backed a resolution aimed at preventing Trump from attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) have also voiced strong objections to Trump’s aggressive stance toward Venezuela.
“Trump is illegally threatening war with Venezuela – after killing more than 50 people in unauthorized strikes at sea,” Sanders wrote in a social media post on Friday. “The Constitution is clear: Only Congress can declare war. Congress must defend the law and end Trump’s militarism.”
Dylan williams,vice president of government affairs at the Center for International Policy,noted on Friday that “most Americans oppose overthrowing Venezuela’s leaders by force – and an even larger majority oppose invading.” Williams urged citizens to contact their senators, stating, “Call your senators and tell them to vote for S.J.res.90 to block Trump’s unauthorized use of military force.” He provided the Capitol switchboard number as 202-224-3121.
A similar resolution, led by Representative Jason Crow (D-Colo.), has garnered over 30 cosponsors in the US House.Representative Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) announced his support for the House resolution on thursday, asserting that “Trump does not have the legal authority to launch military strikes inside Venezuela without a specific authorization by Congress.”
“I am deeply troubled by reports that suggest this administration believes otherwise,” neguse said. “Any unilateral directive to send Americans into war is not only reckless, but illegal and an affront to the House of representatives’ powers under Article I of our Constitution.” He concluded, “The American people oppose being dragged into yet another endless war, this time in Venezuela, and our constitutional order demands deliberation by the U.S. Congress – period.”
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