Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration's handling of the recent US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, countering Senate Democrats' accusations of a haphazard approach. Speaking on January 7, he highlighted pre-planned briefings to lawmakers and ongoing leverage via oil sanctions, amid muted international reactions.
Four days after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a raid on Venezuela's largest military base on January 3, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed escalating criticism from Senate Democrats. During a January 7 press interaction alongside War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Rubio dismissed claims that the administration was 'winging it,' quipping, "Yeah, I know. They’re gonna say that. I used to be a senator too! That’s what you always say when it’s the other party."
Rubio emphasized detailed briefings provided to Democrats on the operation's planning. "The bottom line is we’ve gone into great detail with them about the planning... it’s already happening," he said, building on his earlier clarifications that the U.S. is not at war but using financial tools like an 'oil quarantine' to shape Venezuelan policy.
Central to the strategy is leverage over Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA). U.S. sanctions prevent Venezuela from selling oil without approval, giving the U.S. 'tremendous leverage' to benefit both Venezuelans and American interests, Rubio explained.
The Maduro takedown echoes prior U.S. actions, such as the 2020 Soleimani strike, which President Trump referenced alongside successes against ISIS and Iranian nuclear sites. Maduro's regime was long deemed illegitimate, with past opposition efforts involving figures like Juan Guaidó and Maria Corina Machado.
Global responses remain subdued, with European leaders offering formal concerns but quiet relief. Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected comparisons to his nation, calling it democratic. Critics decry potential violations of international law, akin to the 1989 Noriega capture, and fear broader U.S. interventions targeting leaders in Colombia or Mexico.
