Marco Rubio maintained that President Trump’s military operation successfully eliminated a major national security threat in the Western Hemisphere by removing Nicolas Maduro from power, arguing that America is demonstrably safer as a result. The Wednesday testimony came during his first comprehensive Senate hearing since the controversial January 3rd raid in Caracas.
The Secretary of State characterized Venezuela under Maduro as posing significant dangers to American interests through drug trafficking, harboring criminal organizations, and providing platforms for adversarial nations including Russia, China, and Iran. He suggested that removing Maduro’s authoritarian regime eliminated these threats and improved regional security dynamics.
Democrats challenged this assessment, questioning whether replacing Maduro with his former vice president and associates actually reduces security threats or merely reshuffles authoritarian leadership. Senator Jeanne Shaheen asked whether the operation’s costs and risks justify claimed security benefits given that most regime members continue controlling governmental institutions.
Rubio defended the intervention’s strategic value while outlining economic frameworks for managing Venezuela’s recovery through Treasury-controlled oil revenue accounts. He projected continued improvements over coming months and described cooperation with interim authorities as productive. The Secretary backed away from suggestions that additional military action might be necessary.
The hearing also addressed multiple foreign policy concerns including Greenland, NATO tensions, Iran, and China. Rubio sought to reassure allies disturbed by Trump’s aggressive rhetoric while defending the president’s confrontational diplomatic style. He maintained that fundamental American commitments remain intact despite contentious debates about alliance burden-sharing and defense spending.