Wisconsin leaders react to Trump’s regime change in Venezuela

Republicans in Congress say they support the president even though he failed to notify the legislative branch of government with the power to declare war.

It is usual for politicians to split along party lines on many matters, but the case of a president using the US military to invade another country and take custody of its leader might be expected to draw bipartisan criticism if he refused to notify leaders in Congress of the operation. 

However, these are not usual times and Wisconsin Republicans have overlooked the Constitutional snub from President Donald Trump and expressed support for putting US troops in harm’s way to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Máduro last weekend and have him charged with narco terrorism. 

“President Trump’s decisive action sends a clear message to the world,” said US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). “The United States will defend itself against foreign regimes that profit from drug trafficking and the actions of dangerous cartels targeting our nation.”

“I commend President Trump and the brave US personnel who carried out this efficient and effective operation,” said US Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst), a candidate for governor. “Nicolas Maduro was the leader of a designated terrorist narco-cartel responsible for the deaths of countless Americans, and he will now face justice for his crimes.”

US Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) posted on X: “He will now face justice for his crimes and the suffering he caused so many American families.”

As he usually does, US Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) created dozens of posts on X to show support for the administration, many of them based solely in making personal insults to critics, often disparaging their masculinity.

Only a handful of Republicans could be found to criticize Trump, either because of his failure to notify congressional leadership of the assault or the potential for a protracted, costly commitment to regime change in another country.

“Serious question,” posted former state Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna), a one-time Assembly majority leader. “Do we still have a Congress (or is it in name only)? What exactly is their role in our government in this era?”

Democrats made clear there is no sympathy for the tyrant Maduro, but Trump’s actions were also in line with an authoritarian autocrat.

“Oil companies knew about the invasion of Venezuela, but Trump didn’t tell Congress or even its leaders as required by law,” posted US Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth). “This is about regime change and oil, nothing else. It sure as hell isn’t about America first.”

“Trump’s justification for this aggression continues to be lacking,” posted US Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), who then called out the president for his recent pardon of Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, on a similar narco terrorism conviction. “If he was truly concerned about drug trafficking, he wouldn’t have pardoned a drug trafficker who helped bring thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States.”

“I’m committed to stopping the flow of illegal drugs and standing up to illegitimate dictators like Maduro,” said Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, “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. 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.”