House GOP supports Trump’s Venezuela strikes but seeks clarity on long-term plans
WASHINGTON, DC: House Republicans are standing firmly behind President Donald Trump's aggressive stance against Venezuela, even as questions swirl regarding the long-term strategy following recent military strikes.
GOP lawmakers on key committees voiced their support on Wednesday, December 3, for the administration's pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro's regime.
However, many are also calling for clearer communication from the White House regarding what comes next.
Trump and Pete Hegseth defend military action
"I support the actions that are being taken," Representative Austin Scott (R-Ga) told Fox News Digital.
"I absolutely support stopping the flow of d***s in this country. I'm interested in seeing what the longer-term plans are, and that is what I want to see," he added.
The comments come amid intense debate over a pair of strikes carried out on September 2 against an alleged d**g t******king vessel.
The White House confirmed that the operation included a follow-up strike that killed two survivors, a decision that some Democrats have suggested could constitute a war crime.
President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have emphatically defended the move, citing orders from US Navy Admiral Frank M Bradley.
Representative Mark Messmer (R-Ind) pushed back on the criticism, arguing that lawmakers should trust commanders on the ground.
"Obviously, if you're not there, it's kind of hard to second-guess those decisions," Messmer stated.
He added, "I think the use of our armed forces... to help deal with the flood of human trafficking and d*** t******king that's coming out of Venezuela, we need to do all we can to help stop."
Debate over war powers and escalation
While the strikes have garnered support, the prospect of further escalation has sparked a constitutional debate within the party.
Some Republicans believe Trump would need to seek congressional approval before launching a broader conflict.
"Certain things are obviously within the executive authorities, but also I think there's things under Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 through 13 that are war powers of Congress," noted Representative Cory Mills (R-Fla).
Mills expressed concern about the lack of a public roadmap.
"We don't know what the president's plan is at this point, and he's not forecasting it so others know," Mills said. "So I think we're getting ahead of ourselves slightly... when we don’t know what the actual plan is."
Others, like Representative Earl Baumgartner (R-Colo), argued that the president was acting well within his rights to protect national security.
"The briefings I've received, I think they're on the right track in the process," Baumgartner said.
Republicans united against Maduro
Despite the procedural questions, the GOP remains united in its disdain for the Maduro regime.
Representative Tim Burchett (R-Tenn) dismissed concerns about "acts of war," arguing that the cartels struck first.
"I mean, they declared war on us when they dumped that junk onto our streets," Burchett said. "So the d*** dealers, I say, send them all to hell."
Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla) signaled he would back whatever action Trump decides to take to oust the Venezuelan leader.
"It's already designated a foreign t*****ist organization. [Maduro is] the head of a foreign t*****ist organization," Gimenez stated.
"That organization has killed tens of thousands of Americans. And so I will support the actions that the president is taking in order to get Maduro to leave," he concluded.
