Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has declared that recent US military action in Venezuela was "morally" the right thing to do, even as she cautioned Donald Trump against any attempt to annex Greenland.
Defending Intervention in a 'Gangster State'
Speaking during a visit to Pinner in northwest London on Tuesday 6 January 2026, Ms Badenoch addressed the dramatic raid on Caracas that occurred the previous Saturday. The operation resulted in the capture of then-president Nicolas Maduro, who was subsequently taken to New York to face charges. While acknowledging that the legal justification for the attack rests with the United States, the Tory leader was unequivocal in her moral support.
"What really matters is making sure that Venezuela has a transition to a democracy, something we've been calling for and working on," Ms Badenoch told the Press Association. "Nothing happened until the US went in – now the legal basis is for them to explain, but morally I think that they have done the right thing."
This stance appears to put her at odds with the United Nations Charter, whose Article 2 requires members to refrain from the threat or use of force against another state's territorial integrity.
A Stark Warning to Trump Over Greenland
The Conservative leader's comments came against the backdrop of ongoing threats from US President Donald Trump to annex Greenland. Mr Trump has insisted that taking control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory is vital for American national security.
Ms Badenoch drew a sharp distinction between the two scenarios. She stated there was a "big difference between going into a gangster state and taking the leader of a brutalist regime versus a democratic place like Greenland."
Emphasising the importance of alliance solidarity, she added: "What happens in Greenland has got to be up to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. Denmark is a NATO ally. We stand by them." Her remarks echoed a warning from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that a forced takeover would mean the end of the NATO military alliance.
Calling for US Solidarity with NATO
Ms Badenoch used the platform to deliver a pointed message to the American administration. "We need to remind Donald Trump about the importance of NATO," she said. "When America had its problems in the Middle East, NATO stood beside them. It is now time for them to stand with NATO."
The visit to the marketing compliance agency PromoVeritas on a snowy London morning was also attended by Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride and shadow housing minister David Simmonds.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, seized from their home in a middle-of-the-night operation involving US strikes on Caracas, have appeared in a New York court. On Monday 5 January, Maduro pleaded not guilty to "narco-terrorism" charges and claimed he was a prisoner of war.
