US House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries pushed back Monday against suggestions that the Trump administration would play a role in directing Venezuela's future.
"The future of the Venezuelan people should be determined by the Venezuelan people, not by (President) Donald Trump, (Defense Secretary) Pete Hegseth or (Deputy White House Chief of Staff) Stephen Miller. Are you kidding me? These people don't even know how to run the United States of America," Jeffries told reporters.
The American people want no part of the Trump administration running a different country, he said, adding: "It's in violation of international law."
Trump said US military action Saturday had resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, first lady Cilia Flores, also pledging to assert American control over the country for the time being, with US troops if necessary.
Focusing on conditions inside Venezuela, Jeffries described a fragile situation marked by instability and risk if mismanaged.
"The future of Venezuela is uncertain, and there's chaos, there's danger, there's uncertainty, there's a crisis that may befall the country if the situation is not managed correctly. The future of Venezuela should be determined by the Venezuelan people. Period. Full stop," he stressed.
Jeffries also raised concerns about the administration's use of force without obtaining congressional approval.
"The administration took military action without congressional approval. It was military action, not law enforcement action, despite what members of the administration are claiming right now," he added.
- 'Running Venezuela plan is vague'
Trump had accused Maduro of overseeing drug shipments into the US and holding power illegitimately through election fraud.
Maduro, who is currently in custody at a New York detention facility pending various charges, has rejected the allegations, and officials in Caracas have called for his release. Flores is also facing federal criminal charges and is being held at the same facility.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer separately told reporters that the briefing posed far more questions than it answered.
"Their plan for 'the US running Venezuela' is vague, based on wishful thinking and unsatisfying," Schumer said, adding he did not receive any assurances that the administration would not try to do the same thing in other countries.
"In conclusion, when the United States engages in this kind of regime change and so-called nation building, it always ends up hurting the United States. I left the briefing feeling that it would again," he added.
Earlier Monday, Schumer said this week he will join Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff and Rand Paul in forcing a vote on the bipartisan War Powers Resolution to stop any further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval.
