The U.S. House Armed Services Committee is preparing a briefing next week on the Trump administration's large-scale military operation in Venezuela. A committee official told CNN that the panel's Republican chairman, Rep. Mike Rogers, has already held a conversation with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Leading Democrats have demanded an immediate briefing after the attack. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Trump administration for lacking congressional authorization for the use of military force.
“The Trump administration did not seek authorization from Congress for the use of military force and did not properly notify Congress of the operation in Venezuela,” Jeffries said. He added that security and stability in the region cannot be achieved through military force alone, recalling the painful experiences of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to him, many questions remain unanswered and he called for evidence to “explain and justify this unauthorized use of force.”
In a separate statement, Senator Chuck Schumer said the administration had assured him on three occasions that it was not pursuing regime change or military action in Venezuela. “Clearly, they are not being honest with the American people,” Schumer added.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a ban on US civil flights in the airspace over Puerto Rico and parts of the Caribbean, due to security risks associated with military activity. The emergency measure applies to all altitudes in the San Juan Flight Information Region and includes US airlines, commercial operators and FAA-certified pilots.
According to the official announcement, the ban went into effect at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, the day U.S. forces announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and will remain in effect until midnight on Sunday, January 4. U.S. military and state flights are exempt from this ban and can only operate with special authorization from the U.S. government or the FAA.
