A unilateral U.S. military operation that culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has triggered a furious constitutional and political crisis in Washington, with lawmakers from both parties accusing President Donald Trump of launching an illegal act of war without congressional authorization.
The crisis erupted in the early hours of Saturday, when missiles struck targets in Caracas. Shortly after, President Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States had “successfully carried out a large scale strike” and that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the Country.”
Within minutes, the reaction from Capitol Hill was swift and severe, framing the operation not as a victory but as a profound violation of the U.S. Constitution.
“These Strikes Are Illegal”
Leading the charge was Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), who issued a blistering statement. “The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal,” she declared. “The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in. Immediately.”
Her sentiment was echoed by Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who took to social media to condemn the action. “Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela,” he wrote. He contrasted the action with domestic priorities, asking, “He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans—but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??”
The political condemnation was underscored by a visceral human cost, articulated by a veteran of the Iraq War. Reuben Galego, a former U.S. Marine, stated, “I fought in some of the hardest battles of the Iraq War. Saw my brothers die, saw civilians being caught in the crossfire all for an unjustified war. No matter the outcome we are in the wrong for starting this war in Venezuela.”
The law requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids those forces from remaining for more than 60 days.
President Trump has scheduled a news conference for 11 A.M. at Mar-a-Lago, where he is expected to tout the operation as a major national security victory. His remarks will land in a Capitol Hill environment that has shifted overnight from partisan gridlock to a fundamental debate over presidential power and the rule of law.
As one veteran foreign policy analyst put it, “The bombs in Caracas may have stopped, but the explosion in Washington is just beginning.”
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