January 3, 2026 | Washington, D.C. — Dalena Reporters
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered a blistering critique of President Donald J. Trump’s military strikes in Venezuela, accusing the White House of violating the U.S. Constitution and bypassing Congress in a manner that undermines the nation’s system of checks and balances. Pelosi’s remarks on Saturday, January 3, 2026 reflect growing domestic political controversy surrounding the unprecedented U.S. military action in Caracas and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement posted on the social platform X, Pelosi condemned the Trump administration for acting without congressional authorization, challenging the legality and justification for using military force against a sovereign nation. “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,” she wrote, asserting that the president’s actions undermine Article I of the Constitution, which vests war powers explicitly in Congress.
Pelosi accused Trump of a broader pattern of diminishing legislative authority and expressed deep concern about the executive branch’s intrusion into decisions reserved for the legislature. She argued that bypassing Congress on matters of war and peace jeopardises the constitutional order and warned that such unilateral military interventions set a troubling precedent.
Highlighting perceived contradictions in the administration’s foreign policy, Pelosi also questioned the basis for the strikes — particularly if they were justified on the grounds of combating drug trafficking. She noted that Trump’s recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted on major drug charges, raises questions about the consistency and credibility of the legal rationale for action in Venezuela.
In calling for immediate congressional oversight, Pelosi urged that lawmakers be fully briefed on the scope, objectives, and potential ramifications of the military operation. “Congress must be fully and immediately briefed on the strikes and regime change in Venezuela, the objectives and extent of this operation, and how the Administration intends to prevent further regional fallout,” she wrote — signaling sharp Democratic demands for transparency and constitutional compliance.
Pelosi’s rebuke aligns with broader criticism from other Democratic lawmakers, who have described the strikes as potentially unconstitutional and illegal without prior congressional approval, and called for robust legislative engagement. Such domestic political friction underscores an intensifying debate in Washington over the reach of executive war powers, the role of Congress in authorising military action, and the legal framework governing U.S. engagement abroad.
The unfolding political controversy adds to the international ramifications of the strikes, which have already drawn global attention and varied reactions from world leaders as developments continue to unfold.