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House GOP supports Trump’s Venezuela strikes but seeks clarity on long-term plans

House Republicans backed Trump’s Venezuela strikes but urged the White House to provide clearer plans after a follow‑up attack killed survivors

BY SWATI SAKSHI MISHRA

PUBLISHED DEC 3, 2025

House Republicans signaled support for the administration's aggressive stance against Venezuela while urging clarity on the long‑term strategy (Getty Images)

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.

Rep Austin Scott supports the strikes but wants to see the administration's longer-term plans (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

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.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth holds his closing press conference at the end of defense ministers' meetings at NATO headquarters on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. NATO Defence Ministers are convening in Brussels for a meeting chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Hegseth marked the first visit to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. High on the agenda for the allies will be ascertaining how the U.S. intends to influence the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, as the conflict nears the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images) — Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth holds his closing press conference at the end of defense ministers' meetings at NATO headquarters on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

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.

(X/@RepMessmer) — Rep Mark Messmer argued that it is difficult to second-guess military decisions from Capitol Hill (@RepMessmer/X)

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).

Rep Cory Mills faces a renewed Democratic censure push that could remove him from the Armed Services Committee (Getty Images)

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.

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on September 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump will travel to Arizona to pay tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a memorial and return to the White House this evening. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) — President Donald Trump talks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on September 21, 2025, in Washington, DC (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

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."

CARACAS, VENEZUELA - JANUARY 15: President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Teresa Carreno Theater to address lawmakers for his annual address on January 15, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela. President Maduro called for reunion and dialogue in his message amid tensions and controversy over his contested third term. (Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images) — Republicans argue that Nicolas Maduro heads a 'foreign t*****ist organization' and must be removed (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

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.