Hakeem Jeffries: Maduro’s Capture Was an ‘Act of War’ Against Venezuela

Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, were an “act of war.”

Jefferies said, “There’s been no evidence that the administration has presented, to justify the actions that were taken in terms of there being an imminent threat, to the health, the safety, the well-being, the national security of the American people. This was not simply a counter-narcotics operation. It was an act of war. It involved, of course, the Delta Force. And we’re thankful for the precision by which they executed the operation and thankful for the fact that no American lives were lost.”

He added, “But this was a military action involving Delta Force, involving the Army, apparently involving thousands of troops, involving at least 150 military aircraft, perhaps involving dozens of ships off the coast of Venezuela and South America. So, of course, this was the military action. And pursuant to the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war, to authorize acts that take place in this regard. And we’ve got to make sure when we return to Washington, DC, that legislative action is taken to ensure that no further military steps occur absent explicit congressional approval.”

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