Senior figures in the Republican Party have swiftly moved to distance themselves from former President Donald Trump's claim that the United States will run Venezuela, following a dramatic military operation that captured the country's president, Nicolás Maduro.
Contradictions Emerge After Caracas Raid
The controversy erupted after Trump, speaking at a press conference in Florida on Saturday just hours after US forces seized Maduro and his wife in Caracas, stated America would run the South American nation "with a group". He pointed to officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as being in charge of the transition.
However, on Sunday, Rubio appeared on multiple US political shows to offer a markedly different interpretation. When pressed on ABC's This Week to confirm if the US would run Venezuela, Rubio avoided a direct answer, instead emphasising that Washington had "leverage" over the country. He stated the US aimed to set conditions so Venezuela would no longer be a "narco-trafficking paradise" aligned with adversaries like Iran and Hezbollah.
"We expect that it's going to lead to results here," Rubio told ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos, who challenged him on the legal authority for such an action. "We're hopeful that it does. Positive results. For the people of Venezuela, but ultimately, most importantly, for us, in the national interests of the United States."
Leadership Vacuum and Domestic Pushback
The operation, which critics have labelled illegal, has created a power vacuum. Maduro's vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, is now considered interim president by the remaining Venezuelan leadership. Trump claimed Rodríguez had spoken to Rubio and pledged cooperation, saying "she really doesn't have a choice." Yet, Rodríguez later appeared on state television, sharply criticising the US and insisting Venezuela "will never again be anyone's colony".
Other prominent Republicans joined Rubio in rowing back from Trump's assertions. Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said there were "still a lot of questions to be answered" about what happens next. When asked who was running Venezuela, Cotton replied, "Who is not running Venezuela is Maduro."
Senator Jim Jordan, chairman of the judiciary committee, was unable to clarify Trump's comments when questioned on CNN. "We do not know exactly what that means," Jordan said regarding the plan for the US to run the country, adding "We'll see" when asked about the next steps.
Democrats Condemn 'Imperial Adventure'
The lack of clear answers from Republicans drew fierce criticism from Democrats, who accused the GOP-controlled Congress of failing to act as a check on executive power. Democratic congressman Jim Himes said Jordan's responses were "giving the game away" and condemned the intervention as an "imperial adventure".
Meanwhile, Trump continued to exert pressure, threatening Rodríguez in a statement on Sunday: "if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro." In an interview with The Atlantic, he also appeared to frame US goals in terms of "regime change," contradicting earlier assurances given to congressional Democrats.
As the situation develops, Rubio indicated the US would assess the new Venezuelan leadership on actions, not words, and retains "multiple levers of influence" including an oil quarantine. He also confirmed the US is not at war with Venezuela and has no ground forces stationed there, despite the audacious raid that has thrown the country's future into uncertainty.
