Leaders across Northern California and the Bay Area are reacting after President Trump’s announcement that the United States carried out strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived Saturday evening at Stewart Air National Guard Base, located just north of New York City, to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges after the U.S. carried out an operation in Venezuela that targeted military facilities in the country.
Saturday’s operations come after the U.S. carried out boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and seized two oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela.
Mr. Trump said the U.S. would “run the country” of Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”
Maduro is expected to be arraigned next week in New York, according to CBS News.
Northern California leaders react
Gov. Gavin Newsom provided a statement to CBS Sacramento on Sunday.
“Maduro is a thug and a criminal,” Newsom said. “But Donald Trump proposing to ‘run’ Venezuela without a coherent long-term plan beyond an oil grab is dangerous for America. The path forward must be democracy, human rights, and stability.”
Democratic Congresswoman Doris Matsui said “military conflict should be a last resort” and that “acting without congressional authorization is illegal, reckless. and risks entangling the United States in a broader conflict that doesn’t make America or the world safer.”
“Sending U.S. forces into another country without congressional authorization or notification to remove its government constitutes an unauthorized act of war by the President. This action demands accountability,” Matsui said in a statement. “Military conflict should be a last resort, not an impulsive tool of foreign policy. Acting without congressional authorization is illegal, reckless, and risks entangling the United States in a broader conflict that doesn’t make America or the world safer. After repeatedly denying any intent to pursue regime change through military action, the Trump administration has now done exactly that-without approval and without a plan.”
Democratic Congressman John Garamendi also said Mr. Trump “illegally attacked Venezuela’s capital and seized Nicolás Maduro.”
“The removal of Maduro through an unconstitutional military action raises two serious concerns,” Garamendi said. “First, it represents a unilateral and unconstitutional act by President Trump, who has repeatedly ignored the Constitution. Second, it raises a fundamental question: what is the plan to establish a secure, democratic government in Venezuela? Trump is now talking about governing Venezuela. How can this be done without American boots on the ground and without bloodshed?”
Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley thanked the service members who carried out the operation and said the U.S. and Venezuela are “immeasurably better off.”
“The United States, Venezuela, and the entire Western Hemisphere and international order are immeasurably better off with Nicolás Maduro removed from power,” Kiley said. “Today marks the end of Maduro’s illegitimate rule and narco terrorist reign, and the beginning of a legal process for bringing him to justice. It is also a chance at a new beginning for the people of Venezuela – one where dictatorship, socialism, and poverty are replaced by democracy, freedom, and prosperity. The role of the United States in helping usher in that future must integrally involve Congress moving forward. Thank you to our incredible service members who carried out this operation with unmatched skill and courage.”
Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa called the operation an “amazing display of American military power and precision.”
“Today’s actions send a clear message to the world and those who seek to challenge America, that we aren’t going to make the mistakes of the past,” LaMalfa said. “We are putting the best and most lethal in charge- not those who would call our adversaries to ‘give them a heads up’. I look forward to further briefings on the raid and what the President’s plans are for the next steps for securing the western hemisphere from further crimes against freedom loving people.”
Bay Area leaders react
Bay Area leaders such as Democratic Congresswoman Lateefah Simon and state Democratic Senator Scott Wiener spoke out against the U.S.’ actions in Venezuela.
Simon slammed the move as “unconstitutional” and criticized what she says are the motives behind the U.S. action.
“This is illegal under the Constitution,” Simon said. “The administration claims this is about drugs. On December 17, the President said on camera that he wants Venezuela’s oil back. His words: ‘They took our oil rights. We want it back.’ This is a war being sold to the American people under false pretenses.”
She also criticized the Trump administration’s domestic policy amid the foreign intervention.
“This administration tells Americans there is no money for housing. No money for health care. No money to feed hungry children. But there is always money for war. Congress must reassert its Constitutional power to declare war and reign in this Administration. We must use every tool to hold this President accountable and to defend the principle that in the U.S., we do not let one man choose war,” Simon said.
In his statement, Weiner also condemned the move and said it was grounds for impeachment.
“Trump has no legal authority to invade Venezuela, given the lack of authorization by Congress. This lawless act is yet another impeachable offense by this thug President,” Wiener said.
Like Simon, Wiener criticized what he believes are Mr. Trump’s motives for the capture of Maduro.
“Trump cares nothing for the human or economic cost of conquering another country – he cares only about enriching his billionaire donors. Trump is making clear yet again that, under this regime, there are no rules, there are no laws, there are no norms – there is only whatever Trump thinks is best for himself and his cronies at a given moment in time,” Wiener said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also criticized the Trump administration.
“Venezuela is ruled by an illegitimate regime, but the Administration has not made the case that an urgent threat to America’s national security existed to justify the use of U.S. military force,” Pelosi said in a statement on X. “President Trump has made no secret of his intentions to effectively abolish the Congress, and that pattern continues today with his flagrant disregard for the Article One war powers of Congress which is essential to our constitutional system of checks and balances.”
Democratic Congressman Mike Thompson called Mr. Trump’s operation “illegal military actions.”
“President Trump has launched what legal experts say is an illegal military action against Venezuela,” Thompson said. “Decisions regarding military force when there is no immediate danger to the United States must involve Congress. That’s why I voted in support of the NDAA, which reins in the president’s ability to make unilateral military decisions. Congress must be convened immediately to hear the legal justification for this attack, its objectives, a detailed timeline for military action, the costs to U.S. taxpayers, and a plan to prevent further chaos in the region.”
