U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before Congress on Wednesday in a contentious hearing defending the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy following the January 3rd capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, marking the first time an administration official has faced congressional questioning since the operation.
The nearly three-hour hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, titled “U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela,” featured sharp exchanges as lawmakers pressed Rubio on the legality, objectives, and consequences of Washington’s actions, which included the seizure of a foreign head of state and the effective takeover of control over Venezuelan oil revenues.
Rubio justified Maduro’s capture by repeating long-standing U.S. claims that Venezuela had become a “base” for Russia, China, Iran, and Hezbollah, while again labeling the Maduro government a “narco-regime.” However, critics have noted that the U.S. indictment used to justify the operation does not allege Maduro ran the so-called “Cartel de los Soles,” a claim Washington has publicly advanced for years.
During questioning, Rubio confirmed that proceeds from Venezuelan oil sales are now under U.S. control, arguing the move prevents China from purchasing oil at discounted rates and claiming the funds would ultimately benefit the Venezuelan people. Lawmakers questioned both the legal authority and transparency surrounding the seizure of a sovereign nation’s primary revenue stream.
Democratic senators challenged Rubio on why Congress was not consulted before the operation and repeatedly asked what Washington’s long-term plan for Venezuela is, including whether the U.S. intends to occupy, govern, or indefinitely manage the country’s economic resources. Rubio offered few specifics, stating only that Venezuela’s political transition would not be “fast or easy.”
The most direct challenge came from Republican Senator Rand Paul, who questioned whether the operation constituted an act of war under the U.S. Constitution. Paul noted that the United States would never accept a foreign country seizing American leaders based on an indictment and argued the precedent set by the Maduro operation undermines international law and U.S. sovereignty claims.
Rubio rejected the characterization of the operation as an act of war, maintaining it was limited and lawful, despite the deployment of U.S. forces, the detention of a foreign president, and the imposition of a naval blockade.
Rubio also addressed Iran during the hearing, stating that the U.S. “reserves the right” to launch a preemptive strike, while cautioning that Iran would be “far more complex” than Venezuela. His remarks came as U.S. military activity in the Middle East has increased sharply.
On Wednesday, large movements of U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft were observed traveling to Qatar amid speculation that equipment and weapons were being pre-positioned at regional bases. The activity coincides with reports that back-channel talks between Washington and Tehran have stalled, while U.S. naval assets continue to concentrate in the region.