Warnock Statement on U.S. Strike in Venezuela

Senator Reverend Warnock: “It’s time for an increasingly feckless Congress to finally act and put this reckless President in check.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after President Trump announced U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” to capture the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro. The President announced this morning that, “we are going to run the country now” until a “proper transition” can take place.

“Americans do not want U.S. troops involved in yet another endless war or their government running another government.  Yet, that is what Donald Trump who, as a candidate promised to get us out of foreign wars, has announced.  “We will run” Venezuela.  We have seen that awful movie before. 

“To be sure, Nicolás Maduro is a dictator involved in the death dealing international drug business.  But there are many such bad actors around the world.  In fact, one who trafficked hundreds of tons of illegal drugs into the United States was recently pardoned by Donald Trump without any good explanation. 

“The recent attack on a sovereign nation in our own hemisphere is also without a good explanation.  In fact, this huge escalation with no clear strategy risks bringing more violence and instability to a nation of 28 million people, potentially causing more drug trafficking and more migration to the United States. This is another broken promise by an unfocused President who is more concerned with foreign oil and regime change than solving Americans’ most pressing economic challenges.  Americans want to know who is actually fighting for them? 

“As the voice of a large military state, I am relieved that no service members were killed and I am praying for the injured service members.  The Trump Administration owes the American people answers justifying this attack and explaining how the United States will “run” Venezuela.  It’s time for an increasingly feckless Congress to finally act and put this reckless President in check.”