Rubio says there’s ‘not a war against Venezuela’ despite U.S. capture of Maduro : NPR
In this photo released by the White House, President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.
Molly Riley/White House via AP
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Molly Riley/White House via AP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the United States was not at war with Venezuela, adding that the United States was “directing its policy” in Venezuela – not with troops on the ground but by using financial leverage over former President Nicolas Maduro’s remaining allies.
“We want Venezuela to go in a certain direction because not only do we think it’s good for the Venezuelan people, but it’s in our national interest,” Rubio said in an interview on NBC. Meet the press.
Rubio, who is also President Trump’s acting national security adviser, said the United States would strengthen its influence through an “oil quarantine” imposed by American military ships near the coast of Venezuela.
“Our military helps the Coast Guard perform a law enforcement function, which is not just capturing Maduro, but also enforcing our sanctions,” Rubio said of the program. “And we think it’s just a tremendous lever, an incredible paralyzing lever, that we intend to continue to use until we see the changes that we need.”
Since September, U.S. forces have struck at least 35 suspected drug-trafficking boats, killed at least 115 people on board and seized oil tankers near Venezuela.
The comments offer a first glimpse of what U.S. policy toward Venezuela will look like after the weekend raid that captured the country’s leader, and Trump’s remarks that the United States will “run” Venezuela.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., echoed Rubio in calling for a pressure campaign against Maduro’s allies who still control the country. Cotton specifically named interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro.
“They control the military and the security services,” Cotton told CNN. “We have to deal with that fact.”
During a Sunday interview with The Atlantic magazine, Trump said Rodriguez would “pay a very big price” if she didn’t cooperate, a day after saying she agreed with U.S. plans.
The Trump administration’s actions over the weekend will likely see the first signs of resistance at the national level this week, from congressional Democrats.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned Trump for ordering Saturday’s military operation without consulting Congress. The administration says it did not need to notify Congress because Maduro was arrested in a police action. The Venezuelan president will appear before a New York judge on Monday.
“They went inside Venezuela, bombed civilian and military places,” Schumer said. “And it’s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting authorization from Congress.”
Schumer said Sunday he plans to vote this week on a war powers resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to attack Venezuela without congressional approval.
“If it passes in both houses, then the president cannot do anything else in Venezuela without congressional approval,” Schumer said.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the only GOP member so far to publicly support the resolution. Unlike other measures, this resolution requires a simple majority to pass the Senate, meaning only three additional Republicans would need to support it to advance the measure. It’s unclear whether the measure has Republican support beyond Paul.
