Trump administration officials on Monday will brief members of Congress about the events surrounding the apprehension of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to reports.
The classified 5:30 p.m. session, first reported Sunday night by Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman on X, is expected to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
The invited lawmakers include leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs/Relations panels, plus the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" congressional leadership and intelligence overseers.
The briefing comes as Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to appear in federal court in New York at noon Monday to face longstanding U.S. allegations tied to narcotics trafficking and related crimes.
The couple's first court appearance would follow their capture by U.S. forces and transfer to the United States after what President Donald Trump described as a large-scale strike targeting Venezuela's leadership, CBS News reported.
The dramatic operation — described in multiple accounts as "Operation Absolute Resolve" — has resulted in Democrats demanding details and warning about "endless wars," while the administration argues the action was narrowly tailored, necessary, and successful.
A Wall Street Journal report on the mission said the move stunned both Washington and Caracas even after months of U.S. signaling, underscoring how quickly a long-simmering confrontation escalated into a decisive action.
Democrats and much of the mainstream media are already framing the Maduro takedown as an abuse of executive power, complaining Congress was not consulted in advance. Some have floated War Powers objections and even impeachment rhetoric.
But conservatives insist this was not a nation-building exercise — it was the removal of a hostile narco-state figure accused for years of collaborating with transnational criminal networks and foreign adversaries.
Indeed, the key issue for lawmakers Monday is expected to be what comes next.
- Will the U.S. maintain military pressure in the region?
- How will the administration prevent Venezuela from collapsing into further chaos or falling deeper under the influence of America's enemies?
- And what assurances exist that Maduro's removal will weaken, not embolden, cartel and terror-linked activity in the Western Hemisphere?
Democrats argue the administration "kept Congress in the dark," but the White House has countered that operational secrecy was essential to protect U.S. personnel and ensure mission success — a common-sense reality in high-risk captures.
Democrats also have argued the effort amounts to regime change, yet the administration maintains it was a law-enforcement action enabled by military support, rooted in years of U.S. indictments and counter-narcotics priorities.
The broader political stakes are also unmistakable.
The U.S. has struggled for decades with Venezuela's destabilizing export of crime, corruption, and migration pressures across the hemisphere.
For many on the right, Maduro's capture signals a return to American strength — using decisive action to defend U.S. interests, deter hostile regimes, and cut off cartel pipelines that poison American communities.
Monday night's briefing is unlikely to end the partisan clash.
But it will force Congress to confront a new reality: After years of handwringing about Venezuela, the Trump administration appears determined to act, and to do so on America's terms.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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