Republicans line up behind Trump after US strikes Venezuela, Maduro arrested: 'Changed the course of history'

Venezuela strikes 'well within' Trump's authority, former White House counsel says

Fox News contributor Hugh Hewitt discusses the legality of U.S. forces' capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and what lies ahead for the Venezuelan people.

Republican lawmakers are emphatically backing President Donald Trump's administration after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its leader Nicolás Maduro.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., a member of the House Armed Services Committee whose district is home to a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the operation was carried out.

"President Trump has changed the course of history in our hemisphere. Our country & the world are safer for it. Today’s decisive action is this hemisphere’s equivalent to the Fall of the Berlin Wall," Gimenez wrote in a statement on X.

The U.S. carried out an operation in Venezuela overnight on Saturday. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images; Yuri Gripas/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Rubio had apparently briefed multiple members of Congress after the operation was carried out as well.

A member on the Senate's armed services panel, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he also spoke with Rubio, who confirmed Maduro was in custody "and will face justice for his crimes against our citizens."

"The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely," Cotton said in a statement.

Even Republicans who appeared skeptical at first seemed eased after conversations with Rubio.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., speaks during the news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, May 17, 2022.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for instance, said he was keen to learn "what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force."

He later said Rubio "informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant."

"This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack," Lee wrote.

The majority of GOP lawmakers who spoke out on Saturday morning did so with emphatic backing of the administration, however.

Meanwhile, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., who leads the House subcommittee panel responsible for State Department funding, said in a statement, "Unabetted for years, Maduro has sent drugs into our country, killing an untold number of Americans, kidnapped innocent Americans, flooded our country with violent cartel members from Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles, while destabilizing regional security."

"While others dithered, President Trump recognized this threat for what it is and acted with resolve," Diaz-Balart said.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]