Every out LGBTQ+ Congress member denounced President Donald Trump’s January 3 invasion of Venezuela and his concurrent arrest of Venezuela’s dictatorial President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. military operation resulted in at least 80 people’s deaths, and Trump then said that the U.S. is now “in charge” of the country.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the only out LGBTQ+ person currently serving in the Senate, called out the invasion, saying in a statement, “I’m committed to stopping the flow of illegal drugs and standing up to illegitimate dictators like Maduro, but President Trump has made a unilateral decision to initiate regime change, deploy American troops on the ground, and seemingly take control of Venezuela, all without congressional approval.”

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“The President does not have the unilateral authority to invade foreign countries, oust their governments, and seize their resources. Under the Constitution, the power to go to war lies with the people’s branch. It’s time for Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reassert our constitutional role in authorizing military force when needed and holding President Trump accountable before the United States is engaged in another war the American people did not choose.”

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) called the invasion “Iraq 2.0” and posted a graph that implied that the invasion was for oil, something that Trump openly admitted. Pocan also said that the invasion was unconstitutional.

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Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) made similar claims, saying the invasion was “reckless and illegal” and that Trump did it to make his “billionaire buddies… even richer off of other country’s oil and minerals.”

Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) said that Trump “is once again acting like a king.”

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) said that Trump invaded Venezuela while ignoring “high prices” at home.

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) called for the “rule of law” to “prevail over an act of raw military might.”

Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) said that he was “disturbed that Donald Trump thinks it’s okay to ‘run Venezuela’ indefinitely.”

In a statement, Rep. Emily Randall (D-WA) called out the invasion.

“The world is watching as Trump illegally stokes the fires of war for his own personal gain,” she said. “Bypassing Congressional authorization — or at the very least notification — to kidnap a foreign leader and force a regime change in order to extract oil resources is unconstitutional.”

“These latest unauthorized military actions in Venezuela have nothing to do with keeping Americans safe, nothing to do with lowering the cost of living, nothing to do with building an economy that is better for all of us. They have everything to do with enriching his circle of oil executives and donors.”

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) called the invasion unconstitutional and also pointed out that Trump could be doing more to help people afford health care coverage.

Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) said the invasion sets a “dangerous precedent” but stopped short of calling it illegal.

“I am grateful for the skill and bravery of our American service members involved in this operation. President Maduro was a repressive dictator propped up by his authoritarian allies in Moscow and Beijing. However, a military operation of this kind done without Congressional approval sets a dangerous precedent for our own country and could lead to greater instability around the world. This administration must come to Congress immediately to explain its actions and its strategy to protect our national security. America cannot be once again embroiled in an endless nation-building exercise and foreign war.”

Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) posted a video denouncing the invasion and said it risks giving other nations permission to invade their neighbors.

Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) pointed out that the administration said that regime change was not a goal in Venezuela, even though that is what happened. She also called the invasion illegal.

“They lied,” she said. “History has shown us that regime change — even when framed as necessary or well-intentioned — carries serious and often devastating consequences. We are now watching the same reckless playbook unfold again, with no clear plan for what comes next and no consideration for the destabilizing effects this could have across the region.”

Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) told KCUR that, while Maduro was “a brutal dictator,” the invasion was not authorized by Congress and put “U.S. troops in danger and risks further escalation.”

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