Washington, Jan 4 (IANS) Indian American lawmakers sharply criticised President Donald Trump’s decision to use military force in Venezuela and his statement that the United States would “run” the country.
The six Indian American lawmakers — all from the opposition Democratic Party — warned that the move bypassed Congress, risked long-term instability, and undermined constitutional limits on presidential power.
Raja Krishnamoorthi, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said Maduro’s record did not justify unilateral military action. “Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate dictator who has inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people,” Krishnamoorthi said, “but that reality does not give any president a blank check to use military force without Congress.”
He said acting without authorization and asserting US control over another sovereign nation amounted to an abuse of power. “By acting without congressional authorization and publicly asserting US control over another sovereign nation, President Trump is abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers,” he said.
Krishnamoorthi called on the administration to immediately brief lawmakers. “The Administration must immediately account for the safety of US personnel, disclose whether there were any casualties, and fully and immediately brief Congress,” he said, adding that Trump’s statement that the US would run Venezuela committed the country to “open-ended responsibility” without approval. He warned the move would “erode the rule of law, embolden Moscow and Beijing to push boundaries elsewhere, weaken America’s credibility, and ultimately make Americans less safe.”
Suhas Subramanyam, Ranking Member of the Military and Foreign Affairs Oversight Subcommittee, said the operation contradicted Trump’s stated opposition to new wars. “President Trump said he’d be the ‘Peace President’ and wouldn’t start any new wars, and yet here he is illegally invading another country and kidnapping its President,” Subramanyam said.
While describing Maduro as “a violent ruler who oppressed democracy in his country,” Subramanyam said the manner of his capture would not achieve US goals. “His capture in this manner will not stop the flow of drugs or promise anything other than more instability in Venezuela, and potentially another forever war started under false pretenses,” he said.
Progressive lawmakers also framed the operation as a warning sign for global norms. Ro Khanna said Trump had “betrayed his MAGA base today launching a war of choice to bring regime change in Venezuela,” arguing that repeated US interventions had failed. “What will we say now if Xi Jinping wants to capture Lai of Taiwan or Putin tries to capture Zelensky in Ukraine?” Khanna asked.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal accused Trump of breaking a central promise. “Trump promised to get the US out of wars — he lied,” she said, adding that the action was “all about oil, greed, and power.” In a separate post, she questioned Washington deciding Venezuela’s leadership rather than its people.
Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian American Congressman, said Maduro was illegitimate but warned the decision to strike without congressional input was “deeply concerning and illegal,” citing the absence of a “clear and credible strategy for governance or democratic transition.”
Congressman Shri Thanedar said, “Only Congress has the ability to declare war,” calling Trump’s actions “totally unconstitutional and unacceptable.”
The backlash from Indian American lawmakers underscores growing concern on Capitol Hill that the Venezuela operation could draw the United States into another open-ended conflict without legislative consent.
–IANS
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