The successful capture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the early hours of Jan. 3 has sparked a debate in Congress over the legality of the executive branch’s use of military force, especially in the Western Hemisphere.

So far, most Republicans in Congress have expressed public support for “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which involved the targeted deployment of aircraft, ground forces, and naval vessels in Venezuela to capture and extradite the dictator to the U.S.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has long advocated for military action against America’s foreign adversaries, applauded the action Saturday on X, and also called for America to “help the Venezuelan people create a new future full of peace and prosperity.”

As we celebrate this amazing achievement by our military commanded by @POTUS, we must remember the consequences of what has happened. An evil, narcoterrorist dictator has fallen, creating a path for freedom for the wonderful, highly intelligent, hard working people of Venezuela.…

Graham added in a separate post, “I believe the liberation of Cuba from communist, America-hating, narcoterrorist dictators is near.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, initially expressed concerns about the operation on X on Saturday, stating he wanted to know “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”

However, later that day on X, Lee added that he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio who explained the use of force was to “protect and defend those executing an arrest warrant.” Lee stated that “this action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.”

Republican leadership in both the House and the Senate also cheered on the administration’s actions in Venezuela, albeit without explicit calls for a wider pressure campaign in the region.

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