Posted on 01/03/2026 4:04:34 AM PST by RandFan
Did President Trump seek authority from Congress to attack Venezuela?
The short answer is no. There is no indication that Donald Trump sought or received advance authorization from Congress before ordering the strikes.
Last month, Trump publicly stated that he did not believe congressional approval was required to launch attacks against targets in Venezuela, including strikes on land. He said he might brief Congress but would not seek formal legal authorization.
In December, Republicans, joined by a small number of Democrats, voted down two separate War Powers resolutions in the House of Representatives that would have required congressional approval for future military action against Venezuela. As a result, Congress did not impose new statutory limits on the president’s authority.
What powers does Trump have to attack Venezuela? Under the U.S. Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war. However, the president serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, a role that presidents of both parties have interpreted as granting broad authority to use military force without a formal declaration of war.
The key modern statute governing this area is the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Under the law, the president may introduce U.S. forces into hostilities only in limited circumstances, including a national emergency created by an attack on the United States, its territories, or its armed forces. The Trump administration appears to be relying on this emergency rationale in the Venezuela case.
The law also requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing U.S. forces into hostilities or into foreign territory while equipped for combat. As of now, there is no public confirmation that such a notification has been submitted.
Once U.S. forces are introduced into hostilities, the War Powers Resolution gives the president 60 days to withdraw them..
(Excerpt) Read more at en.as.com ...
Obvious that telling Congress is broadcasting your plans to the world. CNN reporters would have met the Marines at the airport and elsewhere.
You are mistaken.
There are no Trump-friendly courts, just like there are no democrat courts or Republican courts.
Chief Justice Roberts told me so.
If he waited for congressional approval, he might get it in the year 2525.
“...this is a crazy action and good luck in bringing the captured Maduro to a U.S.,,
And why would a U S court have jurisdiction over Maduro?
I realize any action by Trump to protect the U S doesn’t sit well with cretins like you, but it mostly over in Venezuela.
Maduro was indicted in 2020, so seizing him will be legally defended as simply executing an arrest warrant. In that respect, the seizure of Maduro may be lawful on that basis alone if the procedural i's were dotted and t's crossed. Congressional authorization would be more of an internal political issue rather than impacting Maduro's rights.
Could one of those senators be your namesake?
Exactamente!
The Monroe Doctrine is not a law. The War Powers act is what is the legal basis for this.
MM, all I can say is……..I love you.
Good! I want him to take out the ayatollah as well. Hope it gives you butthurt.
It's laid out in the 2020 indictment.
Attorney General William Barr said: “The Venezuelan regime, once led by Nicolás Maduro Moros, remains plagued by criminality and corruption. For more than 20 years, Maduro and a number of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the FARC, causing tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities. Today’s announcement is focused on rooting out the extensive corruption within the Venezuelan government – a system constructed and controlled to enrich those at the highest levels of the government. The United States will not allow these corrupt Venezuelan officials to use the U.S. banking system to move their illicit proceeds from South America nor further their criminal schemes.”
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Today we announce criminal charges against Nicolas Maduro for running, together with his top lieutenants, a narco-terrorism partnership with the FARC for the past 20 years. The scope and magnitude of the drug trafficking alleged was made possible only because Maduro and others corrupted the institutions of Venezuela and provided political and military protection for the rampant narco-terrorism crimes described in our charges. As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation. Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon.
-PJ
“any number of Democrats”
Not just democrats.
I suspect the weasel that is rand paul is searching for a microphone and camera as we speak to condemn this action
Well, it is not specifically what I voted for; I voted for a man who would fight the godless socialists taking over the United States and the world.
When the thugs attack with various weapons only fools insist on Marquess of Queensbury rules.
After reading many of this person’s posts, it has become abundantly clear to me that he is a never Trumper.......if you review the “in forum” posts you will find many of them are pro rand paul and critical of President Trump.
It functions as policy though, right?
Protect national interests he did why waste time sinking boats and go to the top of the problem.
You’re a whining little cretin. Maybe you can look in your medicine cabinet and find some ButtHurt Salve.
…
Madam, you are certainly no lady, lol!
Trump didn’t even ask the judge for permission. He set millions of people free. That’s a good thing. People in this form are such eeyores. I’m happy people aren’t living under a dictator. We have a lot of fake Christians in this country.
We served a warrant.
Mike Lee
@BasedMikeLee
Just got off the phone with
@SecRubio
He 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
Thank you,
@SecRubio, for keeping me apprised
Quote
Mike Lee
@BasedMikeLee
·
2h
I look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force x.com/nicksortor/sta…
5:16 AM · Jan 3, 2026 568.9K Views
https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/2007395531023352319
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