Overview
- Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody in New York on SDNY narcotics and weapons indictments, with Attorney General Pam Bondi detailing charges including possession of machine guns.
- The White House says DOJ led an arrest supported by the military, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio noting FBI participation and limited advance notice to Congress due to leak concerns.
- Democratic leaders call the operation an unlawful act of war and demand immediate briefings and War Powers votes, citing possible violations of the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter.
- Most Republican leaders publicly back the operation as justified, while some urge consultation and oversight, with figures such as Mike Lee, Susan Collins, and Tom Barrett voicing process concerns.
- Legal experts debate parallels to the 1989 Noriega case and the reach of presidential power under the War Powers Resolution, as reports of deaths in the raid remain disputed and Trump signals plans to steer Venezuela’s oil sector.