Michigan lawmakers react to US strikes on Venezuela and arrest of Maduro

(FOX 2) - Michigan lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reacted to the U.S. strikes on Venezuela and the capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro.

Shortly after the news of the military operation was publicly announced, Michigan's elected leaders, from both major parties, started to weigh in on it. 

What they're saying:

U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D):

"President Trump's decision to bomb targets in Venezuela, depose Nicolas Maduro, and "run" Venezuela continues the signature trend of his presidency: relentless focus on foreign entanglements and looking tough abroad, so as to distract from what’s happening to Americans' pocketbooks.

So instead of action on health care costs or housing or energy bills, Americans get military action in Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and now a long-term engagement in Venezuela.

Despite all the talking points to the media — and by Cabinet members directly to senators last month — this was never about stopping the drug cartels. If it were, President Trump wouldn’t have pardoned drug kingpin Juan Orlando Hernández, and he’d be going after Mexican cartels that move the fentanyl that’s killed hundreds of thousands of Americans — not fishing boats full of cocaine or, ultimately, the Venezuelan oil fields.

The President laid out his plan of regime change. He says he now wants to "run" Venezuela and particularly Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

Maduro is a bad man, and the people of Venezuela deserve better. But we know that regime change isn’t as simple as removing one leader. While there are comparisons to the arrest of Manuel Noriega in Panama in 1989, let’s not forget that the U.S. sent in over 27,000 troops and lost 23 service members in the process.

The bottom line is that President Trump wants to look tough by attacking countries abroad to distract from his failure to attack the core issue of the cost of living at home."

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D): 

"The United States does not need to drag itself into another forever war that puts American service members in harm's way and has no end in sight. The President said the United States will now run the nation of Venezuela. The American people did not ask for this.

There's no question Nicolás Maduro is a dictator and bad actor in the region, but that does not grant the Administration unilateral authority to wage war without Congressional authorization. I'm also deeply concerned this action could embolden our adversaries like Russia and China to attempt to remove the legitimate leaders of U.S. allies around the world.

The Trump Administration needs to immediately provide Congress and the American people with the legal justification for this mission and how they plan to ensure it does not lead to the destabilization of Venezuela and the entire region."

U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R):

"President Trump has taken decisive action to crack down on drug trafficking and protect our communities from these deadly substances. 

Nicolas Maduro is not only an illegitimate leader but also a narco-terrorist who has multiple indictments in the U.S. for waging acts of war and conducting countless crimes against our citizens. I thank President Trump and the brave men and women who carried out a successful, targeted operation to bring Maduro into custody. 

We all know people who have been victims of Maduro’s drug trafficking operation, and today marks a turn toward a brighter future for America and will serve as a strong deterrent against international criminal actors seeking to harm American citizens."

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D): 

"The Trump administration’s illegal military action in Venezuela sets a dangerous precedent for national sovereignty. We must recognize that Maduro’s authoritarian government was illegitimate and oppressive, and that the president cannot unilaterally depose a foreign leader. The American people do not want another regime change war.

U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R): 

President Trump has cracked down on drug trafficking harder than any President in history. Congress backed him up with real action, like the HALT Fentanyl Act. 

So, let me put this simply: Maduro is a narco-terrorist. Period. His illegitimate regime floods our country with deadly drugs and Americans pay the price. President Trump didn’t look the other way; he acted. That’s what leadership looks like, and it’s how you protect the American people."

U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D): 

"Last night, the US military conducted strikes across Venezuela and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. 

Reports say that no US military members were killed. Only Congress has the ability to declare war. President Trump's actions were totally unconstitutional and unacceptable. The American people want us to focus on making life more affordable for them, not starting new wars."

U.S. Rep. John James (R):

"Me and my buddies fought in a 20-year war because Bush and Obama couldn’t get done in four terms what Trump just got done in four hours. 

I voted for this!"

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D): 

"Trump's first act in 2026? An illegal act of war against another country. Our government can always find money for violence and war. Not a penny for health care."

State Senator Darrin Camilleri (D): 

"While families in Michigan are worried about paying their bills and a slowing economy, President Trump is using our tax dollars for regime change, helping oil company executives extract more wealth for themselves, and unauthorized military action.

The American people are not asking for this. If this was truly about drugs, the President wouldn't have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world just last month.

We have real challenges here at home: rising costs of health care and goods, economic insecurity, and a growing erosion of trust in our institutions. Launching regime change and occupying a sovereign nation in South America does not solve any of these challenges.

Americans all over the country are tired of foreign wars. Count me as one of them."

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