Democratic US lawmakers say they were misled on Venezuela, demand a plan

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

January 3, 2026 7:32 PM EST Updated 11 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Democratic members of the U.S. Congress said on Saturday that senior officials of President Donald Trump's administration had misled them during recent briefings about plans for Venezuela by insisting they were not planning regime change in Caracas.

The U.S. attacked Venezuela and deposed its long-serving President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation, in Washington's most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democrats' leader in the Senate, said he had been told in three classified briefings that the administration was not pursuing regime change or planning to take military action in Venezuela.

"They assured me that they were not pursuing those things," Schumer said on a call with reporters. "Clearly they're not being straight with the American people." Schumer said he had not been briefed by Saturday afternoon and called for the administration to fill in not just congressional and intelligence committee leaders, but also all lawmakers by early next week. "They've kept everyone in the total dark," he said.

Lawmakers said they wanted more guidance on Trump's plans for Venezuela, after he told reporters he would put the country under U.S. control, for now. "No serious plan has been presented for how such an extraordinary undertaking would work or what it will cost the American people. History offers no shortage of warnings about the costs – human, strategic, and moral – of assuming we can govern another nation by force," said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/democratic-lawmakers-say-they-were-misled-venezuela-2026-01-03/

[RazorbackExpat]

1. They were misled???

Didn't those goobers know that Trump is a CONsummate liar???????

[ananda]

2. Then why wasn't I misled?

Trump did say he would attack Venezuela directly...

more than once.

[FBaggins]

4. I think it's the regime change part of the mission

It becomes clear that the “blow up some drug boats” plan was always a first step to attempting regime change

[ananda]

6. He said directly that they were going to attack Venezuela proper.

It takes a serious amount of willful ignorance not to
know what that meant.

[Farmer-Rick]

10. Well you have to admit, even Venezuela was surprised

By pedo Trump invading a foreign nation.

There have been numerous attempts on Maduro's life by the US and Machado's political party. So, the man was cautious. He knew he was a target. But he seemed to be unprepared for an all out invasion and murder of over 40 people to snatch him up.

[ananda]

12. However, after strikes on many boats...

when Trump said he was going to strike Venezuela
(several times)...

I certainly believed him.

[Farmer-Rick]

16. Yes, I suspected pedo Trump would bomb parts of

Venezuela. I never thought he would actually invade another foreign nation.

And why was Maduro taken by surprise, since he should have been very cautious?

[ananda]

17. Do you wonder if they made a deal of some sort?

???

[Farmer-Rick]

22. Yeah, something is up

Honestly I don't know what it is.

[ananda]

23. And why is Putin so quiet on this.

He was vociferous about the tankers.

[JustAnotherGen]

29. Remember Fiona Hill?

2019 I think? Testified before Congress. She indicated that Putin was supposed to get Ukraine, and Donold VZ.

[ananda]

30. Yes, I read that post today and now I understand.

Thanks.

[Polybius]

28. He was in his Presidential Palace

Was it too close to the sea or something maybe?

[Magoo48]

3. In the always relevant statement by Greta Thunberg, "Blah, blah, blah."

[Blues Heron]

5. Clinton got Impeached for lying about a consensual blowjob

Krasnov is lying about invading a sovereign country.

[paleotn]

7. Plan? What plan? There's never been a plan.

Other than to grift and steal as much as he can before he croaks.

[tetedur]

9. The plan is to steal Venezuela's oil. End of story.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

11. Im all out of "fell for it again" awards to give to Schumer.

[Hotler]

13. Still thinking and trusting that the fascist are your friends. nt

[travelingthrulife]

14. Mislead? Demand a plan? How about, "No. You can't do this."

How about that fucking plan?

[Rebl2]

15. Why would

Schumer believe anything this administration says, even in briefings. Of course they are going to lie to your face.

[AloeVera]

18. This is not good.

Schumer was briefed and just went along with it? What did he agree to, then? Just Maduro's kidnapping? What did he think would happen after that and why did he even agree it was necessary? Would love to know his thinking.

Article behind paywall, maybe it addressed those questions.?

[BumRushDaShow]

19. Here's a no paywall msn version of the article -

Democratic US lawmakers say they were misled on Venezuela, demand a plan

They are apparently referencing what they were told in Congressional briefings given back in November and December -

In briefings in November and December by officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, lawmakers said they were told repeatedly that there were no plans for a land invasion inside Venezuela and that the administration was not focused on regime change.

And per a quote from another Rep. in the article based on their appearance on a CNN program -

"When we had briefings on Venezuela, we asked, 'Are you going to invade the country?' We were told no. 'Do you plan to put troops on the ground?' We were told no. 'Do you intend regime change in Venezuela?' We were told no," Democratic Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts said on CNN. "So in a sense, we have been briefed, we've just been completely lied to."

[AloeVera]

20. Thank you.

I guess it did not occur to Democrats to ask whether removing a head of state by force and then kidnapping and whisking him out of he country would be considered regime change?

Maybe a more direct question like Do you plan on removing Maduro by force? might have helped.

When you are dealing with such liars, you need to stay a step ahead. But you need to understand first they will ALWAYS lie.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Well none of us was in the briefing

so of the members who were, someone might have been more direct. Am not sure if they limited it to members of specific Committees (probably) but they know the background of this rogue President. However they have also seen him do the "TACO" dance too, so you never know what the final outcome might be.

I suspect they figured the neocons were purged out of the administration due to the Steve Bannon "Globalists" rants (although even he caved and ditched his own "anti-intervention" demands after this invasion) ... but apparently they were not.

[AloeVera]

25. Ha - Steve Bannon, Man of Principle! The comments by MTG, Massie and Candace Owens....

Make me think we've entered the Twilight Zone.

I don't think the neo-cons ever really went away. What's a MIC if you don't ever use it, right? And Trump is a "use it or lose it" guy. I guess the joke is on MAGATS, they just don't know it yet. Except of course this is not about projecting American power for the delusion of spreading "freedom and democracy". Though he did take out the ideological competition, with more socialists or "communists" to come, so there is that.

[samsingh]

24. remember when Republicans wanted an exit plan on any military involvement even

on humanitarian missions. That only happens when there is a Democratic President. With Republican Presidents, they have a blank check - see bush 1, bush 2, and now trump.

[BumRushDaShow]

27. "see bush 1, bush 2, and now trump."

You can add Raygun to that list too, with him kicking this ridiculous nonsense off with the Invasion of Grenada (1983)!

(ETA - Grenada was when our own troops had to use a pay phone - dubbed a "phone booth" back then during the reporting - as a "Command and Control Center" )

[delisen]

31. Of course they lied to you, they have contempt for you.