Sen. John Cornyn has introduced a resolution praising President Donald Trump for “taking resolute action” in Venezuela and capturing socialist leader Nicolás Maduro.
The Senate “supports President Trump’s decisive military and law enforcement effort under Operation Absolute Resolve to arrest Nicolas Maduro and bring him to justice,” states the resolution by the Republican senator from Texas.
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., joined the resolution that “commends the Trump Administration for taking resolute action” in Venezuela and “praises the bravery and gallantry of United States servicemembers and law enforcement officers who participated in Operation Absolute Resolve.”
The senators support Trump’s “efforts to assist the Venezuelan people in their fight for freedom,” according to the resolution.
Cornyn introduced the resolution 10 days after Trump authorized a historic military operation in Venezuela, capturing Maduro and bringing him to the U.S. to face multiple charges, including narcotics trafficking.
“Real leadership takes a commander in chief willing to call the shots, and that’s what President Trump did in Venezuela,” Cornyn told The Daily Signal.
“President Trump got the attention of dictators worldwide, and America continues to promote freedom, self-government, and free enterprise in the countries south of our border, many of whom have known nothing but repression by their own government and criminal enterprises who are collaborating with adversaries like China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran,” Cornyn said.
Maduro came to power, and stayed in power, in Venezuela through “fraudulent” presidential elections, according to the senators.
Under the South American socialist leader, “Venezuela was a major transit country for cocaine shipments to the United States, South America, and Europe,” the resolution continued, adding that the Maduro regime failed to take any meaningful action to stop the flow of illicit drugs, but instead benefited financially from the illegal drug trafficking taking place in Venezuela.
In November, the Trump administration designated Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terrorist Organization, claiming “Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime” headed the cartel.
Additionally, Trump designed Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan prison gang, a Foreign Terrorist Organization just one month after taking office.
Multiple “members and leaders of Tren de Aragua have been indicted on murder-for-hire, drug trafficking, firearms, and other offenses within the United States,” according to the Senate resolution.
Cornyn introduced the resolution after five GOP senators joined Democrats Thursday in voting to limit the president’s future war powers authority in Venezuela.
Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Todd Young, R-Ind., joined Democrats to advance the resolution to a vote on the Senate floor.
Trump expressed his disgust with Thursday’s vote on Truth Social, writing, “Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America.”
“Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again,” Trump continued.
The war powers resolution would impede “the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief,” according to Trump.
The Senate is expected to hold a formal vote on the war powers resolution this week. If passed, it will advance to the House for a vote.
