Members of Congress spar over Trump’s capture of Maduro: ‘Reckless’ or protecting Americans?
2. Tom Cotton
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., praised the operation and said families are safer now that Maduro is in custody.
Cotton wrote that Maduro “wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator” but the leader of “a vast drug-trafficking operation.” Cotton noted that Maduro had been indicted nearly six years earlier on charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
“As President Trump said: if you’re a drug trafficker and you’re indicted in US courts, the United States will come after you and bring you to justice,” he posted.
He added that he had spoken with Rubio, who confirmed Maduro was in U.S. custody and would face charges.
Cotton said the interim Venezuelan government must now choose “whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world.” He concluded, “Arkansans are safer because of President Trump’s decisive action.”
His remarks reflect ongoing Republican concerns about Venezuela’s close ties with Iran and Cuba, both of which have been accused by U.S. officials of using Venezuela as a base for intelligence operations, financial networks and proxy activity in the Western Hemisphere. By calling the raid a test for Venezuela’s new leadership, Cotton positioned it not only as a law-enforcement action but also as a strategic blow to adversaries operating in the region.
