Rubio scheduled to appear before Senate to outline Trump’s Venezuela policy

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will publicly testify on the Trump administration’s policy in Venezuela Wednesday morning after vowing to lawmakers that no more military action was expected in the region. 

Rubio is expected to tell the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that “there is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country,” according to a copy of his prepared remarks obtained by Fox News.

“There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement,” Rubio will say, referring to how U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, earlier this month. 

“The United States is prepared to help oversee Venezuela’s transition from a criminal state to a responsible partner,” Rubio’s prepared remarks state.

He will describe Maduro and Flores as “two indicted fugitives from American justice.” 

SECRETARY RUBIO SCHEDULED TO FACE FORMER COLLEAGUES ON VENEZUELA POLICY

“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the professionalism of the United States Armed Forces, a man who built his power on drugs, corruption and repression will now face justice,” Rubio will tell the committee.

The secretary is expected to tell the committee that the U.S. remains ready to use additional force, if necessary. According to his prepared remarks, Rubio assesses that Maduro’s successor, interim President Delcy Rodríguez, has stated her intention to cooperate with the U.S. and has “committed to opening Venezuela’s energy sector to American companies, providing preferential access to production, and using revenues to purchase American goods.” 

Rubio will also say Rodríguez “has pledged to end Venezuela’s oil lifeline to the Cuban regime and to pursue national reconciliation with Venezuelans at home and abroad.”

“Rodríguez is well aware of the fate of Maduro; it is our belief that her own self-interest aligns with advancing our key objectives,” Rubio’s prepared remarks state. 

“We will closely monitor the performance of the interim authorities as they cooperate with our stage-based plan to restore stability to Venezuela,” the secretary will add. “Make no mistake, as the President has stated, we are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail. It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this Hemisphere.” 

“The President has made clear that the Western Hemisphere is our home, and we will not tolerate criminality within this Hemisphere that harms American citizens or permit territory to become platforms for our adversaries,” Rubio is expected to tell the committee. “Last month the President acted to uphold that principle in Venezuela, and we will continue to do so as is required to keep the American people safe and secure.”

Rubio’s return to the Hill, an increasingly frequent occurrence in recent months, comes after he, President Donald Trump, administration officials and Senate Republican leadership successfully killed a bipartisan push to rein in the president’s war authorities in Venezuela. 

His scheduled appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday at 10 a.m. comes just weeks after he helped to convince two lawmakers, Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., to flip their votes and back the administration. 

Both were concerned about boots on the ground in Venezuela and Congress’ constitutional authority to weigh in on the matter.

They were convinced by Rubio and the administration that no further military action would take place, and that if it were, Trump would come to Congress first. 

Young said at the time that the effort, spurred by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was ultimately just a messaging exercise that never would have survived in the House, nor evaded a veto from Trump. 

“I had to accept that this was all a communications exercise,” Young said. “I think we [used] this moment to shine a bright light on Congress’ shortcomings as it relates to war powers in recent history.”

RUBIO LAYS OUT THREE-PHASE PLAN FOR VENEZUELA AFTER MADURO: ‘NOT JUST WINGING IT’

Rubio also wrote to Senate Foreign Relations Chair James Risch, R-Idaho, to spell out that the administration would clue in Congress should any future military action take place in the region.

“Should there be any new military operations that introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities, they will be undertaken consistent with the Constitution of the United States, and we will transmit written notifications consistent with section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148),” he said.

However, Rubio’s appearance before the panel comes on the heels of unrest stateside following another fatal shooting in Minnesota, where Alex Pretti was killed in the midst of a Department of Homeland Security-led immigration operation in Minneapolis.

KAINE VOWS NEW WAR POWERS FIGHTS AFTER SENATE BLOCKS TRUMP VENEZUELA CHECK

While he won’t have to answer for that situation, it has drastically shifted the Senate’s attention over the last several days. 

It also follows Kaine’s vow to file several more war powers resolutions against Trump, specifically against action in Greenland, Iran and elsewhere. 

Kaine believed that he could take advantage of cracks that formed in Republicans’ unified front earlier this month, when five joined all Senate Democrats to advance his resolution to require any future military action in Venezuela would need Congress’ approval.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“The way cracks grow is through pressure and the pressure campaign that I sort of decided to launch by use of these privileged motions,” Kaine said after his initial push failed. 

“I’m going to file every one I can to challenge emergencies, to challenge unlawful wars, to seek human rights reports, arms transfers if they’re wrong,” he continued.

Post-Maduro, pressure builds on Mexico over Cuba’s new oil lifeline

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s regime was crucial to propping up America’s closest Communist neighbor, Cuba, for many years — but with the despot now in a New York prison, U.S. lawmakers and analysts are turning their attention to Mexico, a top U.S. ally and trading partner that has quietly taken Venezuela’s place.

As of January, Mexico reportedly accounted for 13,000 barrels per day, or 44%, of Cuba’s 2025 oil imports, the top factor keeping what some lawmakers describe as a teetering economy barely afloat. With renewed trade talks approaching in July, Republican lawmakers and conservative analysts are calling for increased pressure on Mexico to cut off Cuba’s oil lifeline. 

The Trump administration is also weighing instituting a maritime blockade on oil imports to Cuba, according to Politico. The outlet noted that the move would be an escalation of its previously-stated plan to cut off imports from Venezuela, where Maduro’s former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is now acting president. Such a blockade could spur crisis in the country and lead to the economic collapse of the Castro/Diaz-Canel regime for which much of the U.S. diaspora has long hoped.

“The Cuban government was, even before this action with Maduro, probably at the weakest point that the regime has been in the last 65 years,” said Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., the only Cuban-born member of Congress.

AS TRUMP URGES DEAL, CUBAN PRESIDENT WARNS THAT THE COUNTRY WILL DEFEND ITSELF ‘TO THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD’

“This just makes them weaker. My one concern is that it appears that Mexico is now trying to prop them up. And so, the oil that they were receiving from Venezuela is now being supplanted by oil being received by Mexico.”

The Florida Republican said Mexico is in such a position in part because it is “governed by a Marxist,” casting criticism of socialist-party-aligned President Claudia Sheinbaum.

“The oil that they were receiving from Venezuela is now being supplanted by oil being received by Mexico,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter that [the Miguel Diaz-Canel] regime [in Cuba] has been suppressing and oppressing its people for 65 years, as long as they have the right ideology.”

MARCO RUBIO EMERGES AS KEY TRUMP POWER PLAYER AFTER VENEZUELA OPERATION

Gimenez said that Congress could use upcoming intracontinental trade talks over the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to pressure Sheinbaum to stop supporting the dictatorship just 90 miles from Fort Zachary Taylor, at the southern tip of his district.

Cuba is already experiencing rolling blackouts, inability to feed its people, medical shortages and a nosedive in tourism due to those developments, he said.

“Would it be okay for us to kind of nudge them over the edge? I don’t know a problem with that,” he quipped.

SENATE REPUBLICAN PREDICTS THE FALL OF THE CUBAN REGIME

Andres Martinez-Fernandez, a Latin America and national security policy analyst who leads the Heritage Foundation’s research on the region, told Fox News Digital that U.S. tolerance for Mexico’s new position may not last.

“It’s a major issue,” he said, adding the Mexico-Cuba relationship got to “worrying levels” under Sheinbaum’s predecessor and now involves a Cuban medical program he called “forced slavery for revenue” involving Cuban doctors arriving in Mexico and sending remittances home – much of which can get funneled to the regime.

If Mexico City wants to continue aiding Havana, it had better prepare for “severe pushback,” he said, similarly citing the USMCA negotiations that Gimenez mentioned.

CUBA’S PRESIDENT DEFIANT, SAYS NO NEGOTIATIONS SCHEDULED AS TRUMP MOVES TO CHOKE OFF OIL LIFELINE

Those aspects, along with President Donald Trump’s discontent with Sheinbaum’s resistance to U.S. action against cartels could come to a head, he suggested, calling Mexico’s attitude “mendacious and duplicitous.”

“It says nothing good if they decide, to maintain this overt support for the Cuban regime as we continue to see this inadequate action on the cartel front.”

Trump declared earlier this month that there will be “no more oil or money going to Cuba – Zero” and the Department of War has been seizing sanctioned “shadow-fleet” oil tankers.

A White House official said Cuba is failing of its own volition and that its rulers suffered a major setback in losing support from the ousted Maduro regime. Trump believes Cuba should make a deal “before it is too late.”

A State Department spokesperson echoed that sentiment, telling Fox News Digital that “President Trump has made clear that the incompetent Marxists in Cuba have destroyed their island, and should make a deal before it’s too late.”

Meanwhile, the aforementioned USMCA talks are scheduled to take place in July, when the trilateral trade deal undergoes a scheduled review.

The U.S. is likely to seek additional concessions from Mexico and Canada amid trade disputes, the Center for Strategic and International Studies predicted last year, with the interceding Mexico-Cuba development likely to further invigorate such demands.

VENEZUELA’S ACTING LEADER WAS ONCE A DEA ‘PRIORITY TARGET’: REPORT

The Sheinbaum administration, which did not respond to a request for comment, has reportedly painted its shipments as “humanitarian aid” for the Cuban people.

If Mexico continues oil shipments, it may lead to additionally tense relations between the U.S. and its southern neighbor, already frayed by Trump’s disdain for Sheinbaum’s steadfast refusal to allow American intercession against drug cartels.

If the shipments slacken, that may portend well for the aforementioned upcoming trade negotiations.

As for Cuba, many pro-democracy voices, particularly among the South Florida diaspora, hope the 66-year Castro/Diaz-Canel regime is not long for this world.

Martinez-Fernandez added the regime is likely facing one of the most difficult moments in its history; Mexico’s role aside.

RUBIO LAYS OUT THREE-PHASE PLAN FOR VENEZUELA AFTER MADURO: ‘NOT JUST WINGING IT’

In the 1990s, Cuba lost its larger “patron,” the Soviet Union, he said, and hit a rough patch until Hugo Chavez took power in 1999.

He added that while there has been Western concern about a Chinese foothold there, Beijing appears to have largely “cut ties” and said “there’s nothing new here.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I do think that there is a likely need for additional developments before we see… That kind of next step collapse of the regime itself,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, Commerce Department and the Palacio Nacional for comment.

Feds charge 87 individuals in massive ATM ‘jackpotting’ operation linked to Tren de Aragua gang

At least 87 individuals connected to the Venezuelan terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been indicted for a massive scheme in which members allegedly stole millions of dollars from ATMs nationwide, a crime commonly known as “ATM jackpotting.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska announced Monday 31 new defendants, joining 56 others previously charged in a major Homeland Security Task Force operation.

The criminal ring, largely composed of Venezuelan and Colombian nationals and TdA members, used the stolen funds to fuel its terrorist activity, including human trafficking, sex trafficking of children, kidnapping, murder and “other unspeakably evil and violent acts,” according to U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska.

“Tren de Aragua is a complex terrorist organization that commits serious financial crimes in addition to horrific rapes, murders, and drug trafficking,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNSEALS MULTI-STATE INDICTMENTS AGAINST TREN DE ARAGUA LEADERS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES

“This Department of Justice has already prosecuted more than 290 members of Tren de Aragua and will continue working tirelessly to put these vicious terrorists behind bars after the prior administration let them infiltrate our country,” she added.

January’s indictment alleges 32 counts involving bank fraud, bank burglary, computer fraud and damage to computers.

ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA BOSS ADDED TO FBI’S MOST WANTED, SANCTIONED BY TREASURY: ‘NO BORDER WILL SHIELD HIM’

According to the Justice Department, members allegedly hacked into ATMs and forced machines to dispense cash by deploying a malware variant known as Ploutus, which was designed to delete evidence of its presence in an effort to conceal the crime.

US ACCUSES VENEZUELAN REGIME OF NARCO-TERRORISM OVER ALLIANCES WITH TREN DE ARAGUA, SINALOA CARTEL 

Officials said members arrived at targeted banks and credit unions to scout ATMs and note any external security features. The groups would then open the hood or door of the machines and wait to determine whether an alarm or a law enforcement response had been triggered. Once clear, the groups installed malware by removing the hard drive and installing the software directly, replacing the hard drive with one preloaded with Ploutus, or connecting an external device, such as a thumb drive, to deploy the malware.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The update follows two similar indictments last year in December and October. The total 87 individuals involved face a range of federal offenses, including material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, bank fraud, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.

Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez snaps at Washington, declares ‘enough’ of US influence

Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez said Sunday she’s had “enough” of U.S. interference in the country’s politics, delivering a sharp rebuke of Washington during a speech to oil workers broadcast on state television.

“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she said during an address to oil workers in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, broadcast by state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión.

“Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and our internal conflicts,” she said. “This Republic has paid a very high price for having to confront the consequences of fascism and extremism in our country.”

Rodríguez’s defiant rhetoric raises questions about how far she is willing — or able — to push back against Washington. While the Venezuelan government has long used anti-U.S. language to rally domestic support, the comments come as Caracas remains heavily constrained by U.S. sanctions and dependent on U.S. decisions over oil licenses.

STATE DEPT CONFIRMS ‘LIMITED NUMBER’ OF PERSONNEL IN CARACAS WORKING TO RESUME VENEZUELA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

After capturing former dictator Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration made clear it had allowed Rodríguez to stay in power in an interim capacity because it believed Washington had significant influence over her decision-making. 

Trump had said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela before backing Rodríguez. Trump spoke with Rodríguez recently by phone and earlier in January met with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. 

“We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Jan. 7.

TRUMP SIGNS ORDER TO PROTECT VENEZUELA OIL REVENUE HELD IN US ACCOUNTS

Any decisions by the new government will “continue to be dictated by the United States of America,” she said. 

It remains unclear whether Rodríguez has the political or economic leverage to translate her public defiance into policy, or whether the remarks are aimed primarily at a domestic audience wary of U.S. influence.

The White House could not be reached for comment in light of the Venezuelan leader’s most recent comments.

Earlier Saturday, Rodriguez made an overture to the Venezuelan opposition to reach “agreements” on the nation’s political future and said there should be “no political or partisan differences when it comes to peace in Venezuela.”

Rodríguez’s rebuke comes as the United States has moved to assert control over Venezuela’s oil resources, long a centerpiece of Caracas’ economy. In early January, the White House announced an energy arrangement under which Venezuela would provide 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States at market price.

So far, the U.S. has completed at least one sale of Venezuelan crude valued at around $500 million, and more transactions are expected as part of the broader agreement.

Venezuela’s legislature recently approved an initial vote to loosen state control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, a move that would represent the first major overhaul of the industry since former leader Hugo Chavez nationalized large swaths of the industry in 2007. The legislation, which seems aimed at appeasing the U.S. government, would make room for private companies to invest in the oil industry.

Some supporters of the U.S. move to capture Maduro have been left scratching their heads by the decision to leave Rodriguez in power for an undisclosed amount of time. 

After meeting with Trump earlier in January, Machado said she believed the goal was to hold new elections after a transition period, but did not say how long that would take.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

 In words that seemed a cautionary warning, Machado called Rodríguez “a communist” and “the main ally and representation of the Russian regime, the Chinese and the Iranians,” while arguing that Rodríguez “does not represent the Venezuelan people” or the armed forces.

Trump told reporters in the past week Rodriguez had “shown very strong leadership so far,” and “had done a very good job.”

Venezuelan opposition leader says democratic transition would be ‘fall of the Berlin Wall’ for Americas

Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado argued that a successful democratic transition for her country would rapidly transform the nation’s economy and reverse years of instability, reshaping the region’s political landscape.

Machado told the New York Post in an interview that such an outcome would define Trump’s foreign policy legacy, comparing it to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“The legacy to the world is going to be huge,” she explained. “You’re going to have a prosperous Venezuela and the region.… If you make a comparison in history, this would mean for the Americas as much as the fall of the Berlin Wall had for Europe. It’s equivalent.

“For the first time in history, you will have the Americas free of communism, dictatorship and narco-terrorism for the first time,” she added.

POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD ‘FREE AND FAIR’ ELECTIONS ‘EVENTUALLY’

Machado said she intends to return to Venezuela soon to help drive a democratic transition despite the risks she faces under the country’s current government.

“I need to be there. I want to go back as soon as possible,” Machado said.

Her planned return would come at a pivotal moment for Venezuela, as interim President Delcy Rodríguez leads a U.S.-backed transition following the removal of Nicolás Maduro.

Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro, was sworn into office on Jan. 5 after U.S. forces ousted the ex-leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their compound in Caracas during a military operation.

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA CORINA MACHADO PRESENTS NOBEL MEDAL TO TRUMP DESPITE INSTITUTE BAN

The duo were flown to New York and arraigned in federal court on multiple charges to which they pleaded not guilty.

Rodríguez has since been working with the White House and has spoken with President Donald Trump by phone.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Machado, however, voiced deep reservations about Rodríguez’s leadership, warning that the transition risks falling short without a broader break from the Maduro-era government.

“If Delcy Rodríguez stays, nothing truly changes,” she told the Post. “There will be no rule of law, no trust, no stability. Venezuelans will not come home under a criminal.”

American energy dominance gives us the power to fend off enemies and rescue Venezuela

During his remarks at the World Economic Forum, President Donald Trump re-emphasized his commitment to American energy dominance and the role that Venezuela can play. As the founder of one of America’s largest privately held oil and gas companies, my company is ready to play our part, which will mean lower prices and increased security for our citizens and brighter days for the people of Venezuela. Both are worthy and achievable goals.

President Trump set the wheels of this plan in motion when he re-assembled America’s leading oil and gas executives at the White House. The purpose was strengthening American interests in the Western Hemisphere after Nicolás Maduro had been removed from power. Venezuela is home to the world’s largest supply of crude oil reserves.

By toppling Maduro and inviting American energy leaders to the table to discuss the rebuilding of its infrastructure, Trump sent a powerful message to China and other hostile foreign actors: mess around in our backyard at your own peril.

TRUMP ENERGY CHIEF OUTLINES COAL’S ‘CRUCIAL’ ROLE IN AFFORDABILITY AS ADMIN PUSHES TO KEEP PLANTS RUNNING 

Trump not only understands that energy dominance means global dominance but is willing to act on it. At the same time, Venezuela deserves better than the quarter-century of corruption they have endured, and the American energy industry can help lift an impoverished country into a brighter future. 

While Venezuela is blessed with the world’s largest supply of crude oil reserves, its output of 1 million barrels a day is a pittance of what it could be. As U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said oil can only “become a resource with technology, with capital, with rule of law and a system of governance that encourages the harvesting of those resources to make a better world.” 

My home state of Texas produces 6.3 million barrels of crude on any given day thanks to the hard work of nearly half a million oil and gas workers in our state. Venezuela’s industry has fallen into a state of ruin because of its corrupt and illegitimate political leaders, and its citizens are paying the price. 

TRUMP’S ENERGY DOMINANCE REWRITES THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE AFTER BIDEN DRAWDOWNS

Yet countries without our tremendous natural resources have come to rely on Venezuelan oil to power their own countries. China, for example, is home to 1.4 billion people, and produces around 4 million barrels of oil per day. Its demand far exceeds domestic output, forcing a reliance on other forms of energy like coal. China is the world’s largest importer of oil. More than half of Venezuelan oil exports go to China, often under flagless “shadow fleets” to avoid global sanctions.  

Toppling Maduro dealt an immediate blow to China’s energy supply and international standing. 

Finally, let us not lose sight of the people of Venezuela. Under Maduro and former President Hugo Chavez, the nation’s poverty rate has spiked to nearly 90%. Roughly one in four of the 32 million population have been forced from their homes. Food, education, healthcare and necessities are out of the question for many. 

‘LANDMAN’ STAR GETS SEAT AT THE TABLE IN TRUMP-ERA ENERGY PUSH AS HOLLYWOOD MEETS THE OIL PATCH

All this misery in spite of the nation’s abundant natural resources, which have been mismanaged and abused by a corrupt, illegitimate and evil regime. For proof of socialism’s failures, look no further than Caracas.

Trump not only understands that energy dominance means global dominance, but is willing to act on it. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The critics casting doubt on the path forward in Venezuela are the same people who thought it was fool’s gold to go to Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope along the coast of the Arctic Ocean. The conditions were too inhospitable to ever make the investment worthwhile, they said. Today, Prudhoe Bay is one of the most significant energy resources in the United States.  

Our country has been fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit – the belief that possibilities are endless through grit, determination and hard work. We defied the odds to earn our independence, we expanded west, we put a man on the moon. We build companies from the ground up that provide good jobs, including nearly 11 million in the oil and gas industry.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Under the pro-energy leadership of President Trump, Hilcorp Energy, as well as many others, both independent and major, stand at the ready to embark on this next chapter – one that can unlock more potential for America, provide new hope for Venezuela and put China on their heels. It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. 

Republicans narrowly reject efforts to handcuff Trump’s war powers in Venezuela

A majority of House Republicans banded together on Thursday to defeat a bipartisan war powers resolution that could have restricted President Donald Trump from taking future military action in Venezuela.

The House GOP managed to defeat the measure with its razor-thin majority in a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and the White House.

The resolution failed in a 215-215 vote, falling short of securing a majority needed to succeed. Only two Republicans, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., voted in favor of the package. 

RAND PAUL BREAKS WITH TRUMP ON VENEZUELA, CALLS ACTION ‘WAR’ AS SENATE PREPARES CONSTITUTIONAL SHOWDOWN

Speaker Johnson held the vote for over 20 minutes, buying Republicans time to vote against the resolution. Eventually one Republican latecomer, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Tx., arrived at the chamber, breaking the stalemate and dooming the measure.

“Close the vote!” Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., yelled as Republicans struggled to solidify their opposition. “This is serious s—!” 

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

The resolution directs Trump to remove troops deployed to Venezuela and mirrors a similar effort in the Senate aimed at restricting the administration from taking future military action in the country.

Administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, say there are currently no U.S. armed forces in Venezuela, although Trump has ordered a naval blockade off the country’s coast.

The White House sharply rebuked the legislation when asked by Fox News Digital on Thursday.

“It’s a shame that these members of Congress want to usurp the authority of the commander in chief to take vital actions to strengthen our national security and stop drugs and criminals from entering our homeland,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

Ahead of Thursday’s vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he expected Republicans would stick together to defeat the resolution.

LOOMING WAR POWERS SENATE VOTE RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON HAWLEY AFTER MAGA BACKLASH

“I don’t think we will have any breaks on that,” Johnson told Fox News Digital that morning.

“We are the last great superpower, and we have to allow the president the authority to use what is his under the Constitution,” Johnson said, referring to Trump’s role as commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces. “I don’t think we need to get in the way of that.”

The McGovern-Massie resolution comes after Trump ordered the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month in what the administration has framed as a narrowly tailored law enforcement operation.

The White House contends that the U.S. has simply detained an alleged criminal. Maduro and his wife were indicted in a New York court for allegedly facilitating drug trafficking in the U.S.

“The entire Trump administration coordinated to execute the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, who headed a major narco-trafficking foreign terrorist organization and was a fugitive of American justice,” Kelly said.

Democrats like McGovern have pushed back on the GOP’s portrayal, raising concerns that the U.S. may carry out more military operations in Venezuela.

But the bipartisan House duo’s resolution was slightly different from a similar piece of legislation by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., also dealing with Trump’s power in Venezuela.

The House version would require the Trump administration to remove any U.S. forces in the region, despite officials telling lawmakers that there were no boots on the ground in the country following the surprise strikes and capture of Maduro.

The likelihood that Massie and McGovern’s resolution would survive in the Senate is made more difficult given that lawmakers in the upper chamber already killed Kaine’s push to require congressional authorization for any future military activities in the region.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: REPUBLICANS SEEK EXIT FROM VENEZUELA WAR POWERS DEBATE AFTER RECENTLY VOTING FOR IT

Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., flipped their votes to kill the resolution after assurances and guarantees from administration officials, most notably Rubio, that there were no boots on the ground in the country.

Still, Rubio is set to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week to lay out the administration’s plan in the region. His appearance also comes amid uncertainty about Trump’s plans with Greenland.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rubio already teased that plan after one of several classified briefings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. For now, the administration is considering a three-pronged plan in the region focused on stabilization, recovery and transition.

State Dept official confirms ‘limited’ diplomatic team in Caracas to possibly restore US-Venezuela relations

FIRST ON FOX: A “limited number” of U.S. personnel are operating in Caracas as Washington looks to resume diplomatic relations with Venezuela after the historic capture of Nicolás Maduro, Fox News has learned.

A senior State Department official told Fox News that the Trump administration plan to resume official diplomacy with Venezuela is under way. This is the first time a State Department official has commented on reporting about the diplomatic team on the ground.

“A limited number of U.S. diplomatic and technical personnel are in Caracas conducting initial assessments for a potential phased resumption of operations,” the official said.

The official did not specify exactly what “a limited number” meant, and it is not immediately clear exactly how many people are on the ground. The phased resumption of operations would include the re-opening of the U.S. Embassy and consulate offices in Venezuela.

POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD ‘FREE AND FAIR’ ELECTIONS ‘EVENTUALLY’

Since Maduro was captured, the Trump administration has been cautious in its approach to Venezuela. President Donald Trump initially said that the U.S. would “run” the country for an undetermined period of time. 

Since then, Trump has met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who he said he doubts has the support necessary to take over the country.

After her meeting with Trump, Machado spoke at a news conference hosted by the conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, in Washington, D.C. She said that Venezuela would hold “free and fair” elections “eventually.” However, she did not offer a timeline for how long the current interim government would be allowed to rule, only that elections would happen “as soon as possible.”

RUBIO LAYS OUT THREE-PHASE PLAN FOR VENEZUELA AFTER MADURO: ‘NOT JUST WINGING IT’

Machado also attempted to downplay the appearance of competition between herself and Maduro’s successor, interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, for Trump’s support.

“This has nothing to do with a tension or decision between Delcy Rodríguez and myself,” Machado said when asked about Trump’s openness to working with the interim government. “This is about a criminal structure that is a regime and the mandate of the Venezuelan people.”

On Jan. 15, Rodriguez, who was sworn-in as Venezuela’s interim president following the capture of Maduro, met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe. A U.S. official told CBS News that the purpose of the meeting was to “deliver the message that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rodriguez’s meeting with Ratcliffe took place one day after she had a phone call with Trump, who said the conversation was “very good.”

“We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover. Many topics were discussed, including oil, minerals, trade and, of course, national security,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!”