Tulsi Gabbard publicly praised U.S. forces for a “flawless” operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, marking her first public comment on the event. Her endorsement contrasts with a 2019 warning that military intervention in Venezuela would be “a disaster.” Critics say the move contradicts President Trump’s “no new wars” pledge, while House Speaker Mike Johnson argues it was not a regime change after Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president.
Tulsi Gabbard Praises U.S. Military After Maduro’s Capture, Reversing 2019 Warning
Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard, a former U.S. representative and 2020 presidential candidate, publicly commented on Tuesday about President Donald Trump’s operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, praising U.S. military and intelligence personnel for what she described as a “flawless” execution.
In an X post, Gabbard wrote:
“President Trump promised the American people he would secure our borders, confront narcoterrorism, dangerous drug cartels, and drug traffickers. Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution of President Trump’s order to deliver on his promise thru Operation Absolute Resolve.”
Gabbard’s public endorsement stands in contrast to comments she made in 2019 when, as a progressive Democrat, she warned that U.S. military action in Venezuela would be “a disaster.” At the time she criticized what she described as increased saber-rattling and warned that military intervention would bring “more suffering and death and disaster for the Venezuelan people.”
More recently, Gabbard has voiced support for a more restrained foreign policy. At an October conference she praised President Trump for moving away from a legacy of regime change and nation-building, saying the U.S. should avoid one-size-fits-all interventions that leave the country “with more enemies than allies.”
Reaction to the operation has been mixed. Critics — including some on the right who supported Trump — argue the capture contradicts his campaign pledge of “no new wars.” House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back on characterizations that the action amounted to “regime change,” noting that Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim president. According to reports, President Trump also told reporters the U.S. would “run” Venezuela for the time being.
The episode underscores shifting political alignments and ongoing debate over U.S. intervention in Venezuela, as well as the tensions between campaign promises and real-world operations.
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