Senior Trump administration officials are set to brief congressional leaders in a classified session on the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senior Trump administration officials are scheduled to brief members of Congress on Monday evening about the circumstances surrounding the apprehension of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, as he and his wife prepare to appear in federal court in New York.
The classified briefing, set for 5:30 p.m., was first reported Sunday night by Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman in a post on X. According to the report, the session is expected to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
Lawmakers invited to attend include leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations panels, and members of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight,” which comprises congressional leadership and top intelligence overseers.
The briefing comes as Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to appear at noon Monday in federal court in New York to face long-standing U.S. charges related to narcotics trafficking and associated crimes. Their court appearance follows their capture by U.S. forces and transfer to the United States after what President Donald Trump described as a large-scale strike against Venezuela’s leadership, according to reporting by CBS News.
Multiple accounts have described the mission as “Operation Absolute Resolve,” a dramatic operation that has triggered sharp political reactions in Washington. Democrats have demanded detailed explanations and warned of the risk of “endless wars,” while administration officials have argued the action was limited in scope, legally grounded, and necessary to address long-running criminal allegations.
A report by The Wall Street Journal said the operation stunned officials in both Washington and Caracas, even after months of U.S. signaling, highlighting how quickly tensions escalated into decisive action.
Democrats and several major media outlets have criticized the Maduro takedown as an overreach of executive power, arguing that Congress was not consulted in advance. Some lawmakers have raised concerns related to the War Powers Resolution and floated impeachment rhetoric.
The White House has countered that operational secrecy was essential to protect U.S. personnel and ensure the success of a high-risk capture, arguing that advance disclosure would have jeopardized the mission.
Administration officials have also rejected claims that the action amounted to regime change, maintaining that it was a law-enforcement operation supported by the military and rooted in years of U.S. indictments and counter-narcotics efforts.
According to people familiar with the briefing agenda, lawmakers are expected to press officials on what comes next, including whether the United States will maintain military pressure in the region, how the administration plans to prevent further instability in Venezuela, and what measures are in place to ensure that Maduro’s removal weakens, rather than empowers, cartel-linked and terrorist-affiliated networks operating in the Western Hemisphere.
The broader stakes extend beyond the immediate operation. For decades, U.S. officials have cited Venezuela’s role in exporting crime, corruption, and migration pressures across the region. Supporters of the administration argue that Maduro’s capture reflects a return to assertive U.S. policy aimed at defending national interests and disrupting transnational criminal pipelines.
While Monday’s classified briefing is unlikely to resolve the partisan dispute, it will mark the first comprehensive opportunity for congressional leaders to hear directly from the administration about an operation that has already reshaped U.S.–Venezuela relations and intensified debate over the limits of presidential authority.
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