Donald Trump stated that he does not need Congress's approval to order attacks on Venezuela

American President Donald Trump stated that he does not need Congress's approval to launch potential strikes against Venezuela, emphasizing that he fears leaks of information. In a statement, Trump mentioned that he is not obligated to inform Congress about such actions, especially in the context of his repeated threats to target drug cartels in Venezuela. Although the U.S. has already carried out strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, the legality of these actions is contested.

Opposition lawmakers argue that Trump does not have the legal authority for ground interventions without Congress's approval, and two proposals to regulate these actions have been recently rejected. The Trump administration claims that its actions fall within the framework of an armed conflict against the cartels, which it considers foreign terrorist organizations. According to the Constitution, only Congress can declare war, but presidents have previously used parliamentary resolutions to justify military interventions.