CloseTrump administration officials are being grilled Monday evening by top lawmakers on the U.S. covert operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among those who are briefing congressional leaders in the closed-door meeting about the military raid.
Traditionally, the administration will inform leaders in both chambers of Congress about large military operations ahead of time. But this time around, the lawmakers were left in the dark.
“Congress has a tendency to leak,” Trump told reporters over the weekend after the operation.
Several lawmakers have expressed concern that the government’s recent actions in Venezuela required congressional approval.
The briefing comes hours after Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in Manhattan federal court. During the arraignment, Maduro declared his innocence and claimed he had been captured by the U.S.
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Trump officials brief Congress on Venezuela operation
Top officials from the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are briefing Congressional leaders on the military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said in a rare joint statement that there was “no legitimate basis” to keep them from the closed-door meeting.
“President Trump and Secretary Rubio have stated that this was a law enforcement operation that was made at the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over DOJ, FBI and DEA, and all three agencies are led by individuals who our Committee vetted and processed,” the two senators said.
“There is no legitimate basis for excluding the Senate Judiciary Committee from this briefing. The administration’s refusal to acknowledge our Committee’s indisputable jurisdiction in this matter is unacceptable and we are following up to ensure the Committee receives warranted information regarding Maduro’s arrest,” the statement continued.
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Hakeem Jeffries pushes back on Trump admin's claims about Maduro capture
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pushes back on the Trump administration’s claims that the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was a “law enforcement action.”
“It was military action, not a law enforcement action,” Jeffries told reporters Monday.
Maduro was indicted by the Justice Department in 2020 on drug charges, which he pleaded not guilty to Monday.
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Where is Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado? The Nobel peace laureate scorned by Trump
The capture of Nicolas Maduro in an unprecedented US military operation has left a political vacuum in Venezuela and reignited hopes that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado could spearhead a democratic revival in the country.
Machado, 58, has been living in hiding due to security risks and threats to her life since the last disputed election in Venezuela.
Despite Machado releasing a statement supporting Maduro’s exit, the exiled opposition leader’s whereabouts are still unknown. Trump sparked alarm on Sunday after suggesting she could not become leader of Venezuela as she lacked “respect” and “support” in the country.
His comments appeared to be driven by his anger over her acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, with sources close to Trump suggesting she had committed the “ultimate sin” by refusing to give the prize to the US President.
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Schumer accuses Trump of ignoring domestic issue
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke on the Senate floor, Monday afternoon, blasting the administration for attacking Venezuela while ignoring a critical domestic issue he says will remain Democrats’ focus.
He called Maduro a “tyrant” but said Trump has broken a promise to put a stop to America’s involvement in “endless wars.”
“We will focus on these like a laser: the high cost of living, affordability,” he said.
Alex Woodward5 January 2026 21:45
What exactly can Congress do about Venezuela? And will it do anything?
Still, as much as the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio call the operation in Venezuela a law enforcement mission, it has all the trappings of a military operation, meaning this is strictly within the purview of Congress.
Read more from The Independent’s Capitol Hill correspondent Eric Garcia:
What exactly can Congress do about Venezuela? And will it do anything?
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The Senate could vote this week on a measure that would limit President Donald Trump’s war power authority in Venezuela.
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he’s hopeful the briefings with Trump administration officials will get lawmakers answers on what President Donald Trump intends to run Venezuela.
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