President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference Saturday, Jan. 3, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., as Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Following the invasion of Venezuela by U.S. military forces on Saturday, Jan. 3, which included the capture of its current president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, North Dakota and Minnesota lawmakers released statements in response, falling along party lines. GOP politicians endorsed the military intervention taken by the Trump administration, while Democratic politicians sharply criticized it, with the North Dakota Democratic-NPL calling it “illegal and unconstitutional.”
President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, the following: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M. at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) responded on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Nicolás Maduro was indicted in the U.S. for drug crimes that have killed too many Americans, and he is the head of a drug cartel that has taken over a country, which is why @POTUS took decisive action. We appreciate the brave servicemembers and law enforcement officials who undertook this extremely complex and difficult mission to make the United States safer and more secure.”
In addition to his response on X, U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) also released the following statement, “The United States conducted a successful law enforcement operation in Venezuela, arresting Nicolás Maduro and bringing him to face the U.S. justice system. There are clearly no half measures with President Trump. Our military is unmatched, and thanks to its overwhelming battlefield and technological dominance, deployed in coordination with various law enforcement agencies, Maduro has been taken into custody and will finally face justice right here in the United States, where he was indicted in 2020. This was a strong showing of intelligence, law enforcement, military, and frankly, freedom.”
U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak’s (R-N.D.) response on X was the following, “The world needs strong and decisive leadership right now and President Trump and his administration is providing that. Nicolas Maduro is a ruthless cartel leader that has trafficked drugs into the U.S. for years, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans,” she said. “I look forward to briefings from the administration on many significant outstanding questions about our ongoing involvement in Venezuela, including who is going to lead this effort, for how long, what is the exit strategy, and how are we paying for it.”
Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued a statement regarding Maduro’s arrest. “President Trump was right to remove this illegitimate leader who stole an election and partnered with a cartel to flood U.S. streets with narcotics that cost American lives – leading to a federal indictment for narco-terrorism more than five years ago,” he said. “Our military members deserve our deepest thanks for their incredible courage and precision in carrying out this complex mission and bringing Maduro to justice.”
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said on Facebook, “Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate leader and an indicted narco terrorist. His support of the cartels in Venezuela killed thousands of Americans over several years. President Trump and his team have taken decisive action to bring him to justice. This will make our communities safer and further secure our border from the flow of illegal drugs.”
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley also issued a statement in support of the action. “I stand firmly behind the administration’s continued efforts to protect our nation from the scourge of illicit drugs,” he said. “Together, we will work to keep our communities safe and free from the devastating impact of drug trafficking.”
North Dakota Democratic-NPL Chair Adam Goldwyn was more critical in his response. “This clearly isn’t about stemming the flow of drugs. Just last month, Trump pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who conspired with some of the worst drug traffickers in the world to bring more than 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. This is about enriching oil corporations and billionaires,” he said. “Health insurance has become completely unaffordable for millions of Americans. Our farmers suffered all season, and still face great uncertainty. We’re on the precipice of a recession. Instead of working make life better for Americans, he’s playing kingmaker in Venezuela.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s press release response was also disapproving, “I have strongly opposed sending American forces into harm’s way in Venezuela without authorization from Congress. We should not put Americans at risk in this way without careful deliberation among the people’s elected representatives. Wars for regime change can lead to unintended consequences. Right now, we need a full briefing on how to avoid spiraling instability, and a vote to stop this unauthorized action from continuing.”
“Donald Trump promised peace as President. Today, he’s started another endless war to enrich oil corporations and billionaires while Minnesotans struggle to afford their lives,” said Minnesota DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom. “Everyone can see what’s going on here. The strikes are a distraction from the President’s history of pardoning drug traffickers and fraudsters while health care costs spiral out-of-control for working families. Americans are in no way safer because of the President’s military actions.”
