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Top officials from the administration went to Capitol Hill to justify one of the boldest military operations in recent US history: the seizure of a sitting head of state from his home city.

Operation Particulars Disclosed to Lawmakers

Key cabinet members, the nation's top lawyer, the CIA director, and the chair of the joint chiefs briefed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the swift strike that extracted the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas residence and brought him to a New York City jail cell.

This briefing marked the first time the full Senate heard particulars of the 3 January attack, which involved elite American troops swooping into Venezuela before dawn to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that was centered on oil: first, stabilization of the country; next, creating opportunities for companies to operate in the Venezuelan market; and a final phase described as “a transitional period.”

“We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil,” one official stated. “We’re going to sell it in the marketplace at market rates, not at the discounts Venezuela was getting.”

Partisan Split Erupts in Washington

Apart from petroleum, the operation has split Washington along expected partisan divides. GOP lawmakers have united in support of the characterization of the raid as a straightforward law enforcement action targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Democrats warn of an illegal act of war that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and establish a troubling new norm for unilateral presidential action.

“What we did is we took out an illegitimate president,” one Republican senator said. “He was never properly voted into office, so there can’t be regime change if he should have never been put in place to begin with.”

Operational Timeline and Court Case

In the pre-dawn operation, special operations forces struck multiple targets across northern Venezuela, captured Maduro and Flores, ferried them to a U.S. Navy ship, flew them to a U.S. air base, and then turned them over to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro stood in federal court entering a denial to charges including “drug terrorism” conspiracy.

Democratic Skepticism and Public Unease

One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session disbelieving, stating the administration is “going to take the oil by force.”

“This is an insane plan,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about taking the nation's petroleum resources under threat of force for an unspecified time as a bargaining chip to control the nation's affairs.” The senator added that they “heard no comprehensive strategy” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability.

This pushback reflects broader public unease. Polls indicate a significant portion of the public believe the operation should have required legislative authorization. Separate surveys found roughly three-quarters express worry the U.S. will become too involved in Venezuela. Overall sentiment mirrors the partisan split on Capitol Hill.

“Across America, people are just saying what is happening?” a senior Democratic leader stated. “We need answers as to the duration of this engagement. We need answers on military presence, financial cost, and what guardrails are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and Global Criticism

The question of what happens next in Venezuela remains unclear. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “manage” the country for an indeterminate time.

“The reality is the entire previous government structure is still in place,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capacity of our military... but there is no answer about the future plan.”

Global criticism has been rapid. Numerous nations have censured the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s immediate release, while the U.S. justified the move as a precise police action.

Wider Security Concerns

Republican lawmakers are also turning their attention toward Greenland, citing defense concerns.

“China and Russia are operating off the coast Greenland,” one GOP senator said. “In my view, we have a very keen interest in Greenland.”

The administration has maintained warships positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently took control of Venezuela-linked oil tankers, indicating it has no plans to ease pressure.

“Our military is prepared to continue this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of deeds to advance our interests, and that is on clear view.”