Yes, Trump’s Action Against Maduro Was Legal

It was hardly necessary to consult the Delphic Oracle to know that every Democrat within reach of a microphone would denounce President Trump’s military action against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. It was, however, surprising to discover how ignorant the Democrats are about the President’s authority to deploy military forces. Saturday morning, for example, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) brayed, “The Trump administration has not sought congressional authorization for the use of military force and has failed to properly notify Congress in advance of the operation in Venezuela.”

Jeffries is evidently unaware of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 (WPR). Someone on his staff should have informed him that the WPR permits the Commander-in-Chief to launch military operations without first notifying Congress and that several Democratic Presidents — including Clinton, Obama and Biden — have used the WPR to justify launching similar attacks without prior notification of Congress. The resolution does require the President to notify the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate within 48 hours of initiating military operations and limits deployments to no more than 60 days without congressional authorization. The New York Times reports that House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to schedule briefings for members as Congress returns to Washington.

Nonetheless, congressional Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), ad infinitum, are demanding President Trump’s head on a platter. Many of these characters have jumped the shark. According to a report in AXIOS, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) called Trump’s plan to run Venezuela “truly insane” and added, “We are in 25th Amendment territory now.” Huffman clearly doesn’t understand that the 25th Amendment must be initiated by Trump’s VP and Cabinet. The Democrats are also back on impeachment: Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.) issued this ridiculous statement:

Today’s military operation in Venezuela and the kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro are illegal, dangerous violations of international and U.S. law that put us all at risk. The Trump Administration is continuing an agenda of U.S. interventionism in Latin America that has only led to human rights violations, democratic backsliding, economic destabilization, deep poverty, genocide, and mass migration. History has shown us that peace and democracy in Latin America have never been realized through unauthorized United States military intervention … Trump must be impeached.”