President Donald Trump on Tuesday (January 6) praised the US military operation in Venezuela, while taking a swipe at captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over his dance moves. Speaking to House Republicans at a retreat at The Trump Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, Trump said Maduro “tries to imitate my dance a little bit,” before calling him “a violent guy.”
Trump accused Maduro of killing “millions of people” and alleged that Venezuela runs “a torture chamber in the middle of Caracas.”
“He gets up there and tries to imitate my dance a little bit, but he’s a violent guy,” Trump told House Republicans.
“He’s a violent guy, and he has killed millions of people. They have a torture chamber in the middle of Caracas.”
‘Most powerful military on Earth’
Trump used the remarks to hail the US armed forces, saying the operation showed America has “the most powerful, most lethal, most sophisticated, and most fearful military on planet earth — and it’s not even close.”
“Nobody could’ve done that,” he said.
Closed-door GOP meeting
The President met House Republicans as lawmakers in both chambers seek more clarity on the weekend operation and the US role in Venezuela going forward. The meeting followed a US-led capture of Maduro after a monthslong pressure campaign that included a military buildup off South America and strikes on boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking.
Congressional powers debate
Maduro’s capture has reignited debate over presidential war powers and Congress’s role in authorizing military action. House Republicans have largely backed Trump, arguing he acted within his authority.
The issue was discussed in a closed-door Capitol Hill briefing on Monday (January 5) — the first chance for congressional leaders and key committee members to question administration officials about the mission, which they said came with no advance warning.
Republicans defend Trump’s authority
After the briefing, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the President was within his powers.
“We are not at war. We do not have US armed forces in Venezuela, and we are not occupying that country,” Johnson said. While Congress holds the power to declare war, he added, the Constitution gives the president “vast authorities as commander in chief.”
Top officials brief lawmakers
The briefing was led by senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
No ‘regime change,’ no troops
Johnson stressed the operation was not aimed at regime change but at forcing “a demand for change in behavior by a regime.” Johnson said lawmakers do not expect US troops on the ground or direct involvement beyond pressuring reforms from the interim government now in place.
