Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that President Donald Trump will brief lawmakers about military operations in the Caribbean. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Additionally, Trump is ready for Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro to exit leading the country, according to Graham. When asked about whether a regime change was in motion, Graham answered affirmatively.
"I think President Trump's made a decision that Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, is an indicted drug trafficker, that it's time for him to go," Graham said Sunday. "That Venezuela and Colombia have been safe havens for narco terrorists for too long."
The Trump administration claims it does not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state, and instead considers him a leader of a drug cartel. In August, the Trump administration increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, blasting him as "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world."
Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, March 13, 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"The Trump administration has made it clear they may launch military action inside Venezuela’s borders and won't stop at boat strikes in the Caribbean," Schiff said in an Oct. 17 statement.
"In recent weeks, we have seen increasingly concerning movements and reporting that undermine claims that this is merely about stopping drug smugglers," Schiff said. "Congress has not authorized military force against Venezuela. And we must assert our authority to stop the United States from being dragged — intentionally or accidentally — into full-fledged war in South America."
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Trump has dismissed lawmakers’ concerns about the legality of the strikes, and said Oct. 14 that the alleged drug vessels are "fair game" because they are "loaded up with drugs."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
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