Pentagon, GOP Rally Behind Trump-Era Venezuela Strikes as Legal Battle Heats Up

Pentagon, GOP Rally Behind Trump-Era Venezuela Strikes as Legal Battle Heats Up A political and legal defense is mounting in Washington over a series of U.S. military strikes against Venezuela, with the Pentagon and Republican lawmakers uniting to justify the actions as lawful amid a Democratic push to revoke the legal authority behind them. The Pentagon has publicly backed the commanders who authorized the strikes. A spokesperson stated that the actions "were approved by the best military and civilian lawyers throughout the chain of command," confirming a rigorous legal review [17258]. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also defended a specific engagement where forces struck the same target twice, calling it a necessary decision made in the "fog of war" to eliminate a perceived threat [17273]. On Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans are taking procedural steps to shield the legal basis used for the operation, known as "Operation Absolute Resolve." They are moving to block a Democratic effort to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which the Trump administration cited for the Venezuela mission [50051]. Republicans argue the repeal would weaken presidential authority during ongoing threats. GOP lawmakers are also defending a separate, reported plan to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, arguing a U.S. indictment against him on narcoterrorism charges provided legal grounds for the action [41491]. Former President Donald Trump has voiced full support for Secretary Hegseth, stating "I believe him 100%" regarding denials of misconduct in the strike operations [15991]. The unified defense sets the stage for a congressional clash over war powers, centering on whether a two-decade-old authorization intended for terrorists can legally justify military action against a state government in the Western Hemisphere. Pentagon Defends Commander's Decision in Venezuela Strikes **Pentagon Defends Second Strike in "Fog of War" Incident** Senate Republicans Move to Shield Trump's War Powers Republicans Defend Trump's Venezuela Operation, Cite Legal Precedent Trump Defends Defense Secretary, Backs Denial of Second Strike Allegation Pentagon Official Defends Legality of Caribbean Operations