Sen. Marco Rubio defended a U.S. operation in Venezuela that officials say resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, arguing it did not require congressional approval because it was a short, targeted mission rather than an invasion. NBC's Kristen Welker questioned why the White House did not seek authorization, citing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Rubio emphasized the need for secrecy to avoid leaks and said Congress will be consulted or notified when legally required. President Trump described a temporary U.S. role in Venezuela to oversee a "safe, proper and judicious transition."
Rubio Defends Venezuela Raid, Says Congressional Approval Wasn't Required
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press, alongside White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, following U.S. military actions in Venezuela, in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2026.
Sen. Marco Rubio defended a recent U.S. operation in Venezuela on Sunday after NBC News host Kristen Welker pressed him about why the administration did not seek congressional approval before the mission.
Welker cited a remark by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to Vanity Fair suggesting that an attack on Venezuela’s mainland would require authorization from Congress, and asked Rubio on "Meet the Press," "Why didn’t that happen? And will that happen with any future action the administration plans to take in Venezuela or elsewhere?"
The administration says the United States carried out a strike in Venezuela on Saturday as part of "Operation Absolute Resolve," which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Rubio’s Defense: Rubio argued the operation did not require congressional approval because, he said, it was not an invasion or an extended military campaign but a short, highly targeted mission. "This was not an action that required congressional approval," he said. "It couldn’t require congressional approval because this was not an invasion. This is not an extended military operation. It was a very precise operation that involved a couple of hours of action. It was a very delicate operation, too. It was one that required all these conditions to be in place at the right time, in the right place."
"You couldn’t afford leaks. We couldn’t afford anything out there that would have endangered the mission and gotten people killed, or killed off the mission in the optionality," Rubio added. "We didn’t even know if the mission was going to happen. How can you notify something you’re not even sure if it can happen? Because in order for it to happen, you had needed to have weather conditions in place."
Welker pressed Rubio on whether the administration plans to coordinate with Congress on future actions. Rubio said the White House will seek congressional approval for actions that legally require it and will provide notification when appropriate. "We will seek congressional approval for actions that require congressional approval, but otherwise they will get congressional notification," he said. "This is an operation akin to what virtually every single president for the last 40 years has conducted. The difference is that when it’s Donald Trump, you know, all these Democrats go bonkers."
Reactions and Next Steps: GOP lawmakers praised the operation, while Democrats and some legal experts are expected to scrutinize the legality and precedent of conducting sensitive missions without prior congressional authorization. President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States would "run the country" in Venezuela temporarily until a "safe, proper and judicious transition" can take place, characterizing the role as a short-term measure to stabilize conditions and prevent external interference.
The operation and the administration's rationale for not notifying Congress are likely to prompt further debate in Washington over the balance between secrecy in special operations and Congress's constitutional role in authorizing military force.
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