During a Fighting Oligarchy rally on June 21, 2025, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) received word that the U.S. had carried out strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, part of a dramatic escalation in the Iran-Israel war that garnered global attention.
The strikes marked one of the most serious escalations between Washington and Iran in decades. As the crowd began chanting for justice, Sanders — one of Congress’s most vocal critics of U.S. military intervention — paused, visibly absorbing the moment before addressing the crowd.
“…It is so grossly unconstitutional,” Sanders said. “All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the US Congress. The president does not have the right.”
On January 3, 2026, the United States launched similar strikes on multiple targets in Caracas, Venezuela, targeting military bases and infrastructure in an effort to overthrow the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
According to U.S. officials, the operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, neutralized Venezuelan defense before elite forces were able to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple reportedly landed at Steward Air National Guard Base Saturday evening and is expected to face criminal charges in the United States.
In the hours after, President Donald Trump told reporters that the United States would “run” Venezuela temporarily until a new government could be established. He also stated that American companies might help rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said at the press conference.
The situation remains deeply controversial both internationally and across the aisle. Venezuela’s vice president has demanded proof of life for Maduro, and regional governments have condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty. Meanwhile, many Venezuelans have welcomed the removal of Maduro as a turning point after years of crisis. According to PBS, Venezuelans in Doral, Florida, hosted a rally celebrating Maduro’s ousting.
Republicans lauded the operation as a decisive move against a regime accused of drug trafficking and destabilizing influence. Several GOP lawmakers praised the president for taking bold action where Congress had previously failed to act.
Democrats, in contrast, expressed deep concern over the strikes’ legality. Many criticized the administration for bypassing Congress and noted that the intervention could solidify a dangerous precedent for executive military action abroad.
Bipartisan critics argue that the strikes’ real motivation may have more to do with Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and resources rather than democracy. Analysts point out that U.S. military and corporate interests have long eyed the country’s state-run oil industry, and that the operation’s timing conveniently aligns with opportunities to gain control over production and export channels.
The Hill reported that the Senate will vote next week on a bipartisan war powers resolution, intended to block Trump from pursuing further military action in Venezuela. The bill is sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY.) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA.).
“Donald Trump has, once again, shown his contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law. The President of the United States does NOT have the right to unilaterally take this country to war, even against a corrupt and brutal dictator like Maduro,” Sen. Sanders wrote Saturday morning. “This brazen violation of international law gives a green light to any nation on earth that may wish to attack another country to seize their resources or change their governments.”
