Venezuela will dominate the congressional agenda this week, with Republicans lacking a unified vision on what happens next after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the Senate poised to vote to limit further attacks without lawmaker approval.
— Briefings incoming: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Dan Caine will brief top lawmakers on this weekend’s Venezuela attack at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
The members receiving the briefing include the top four congressional leaders as well as senior House and Senate members of the Intelligence, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations committees.
Trump himself will speak to House Republicans Tuesday at their annual retreat at the Kennedy Center.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are also working to schedule an all-senators briefing as soon as mid-week, according to two people granted anonymity.
— The big question: Who will ‘run’ Venezuela? Republicans have largely rallied behind the administration’s capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. But there’s some daylight between them when it comes to what happens next — and some emerging distrust with the administration.
Trump, at least initially, praised Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez — now the country’s acting leader — as someone he could work with. His comments were at odds with the wishes of Florida Republican lawmakers who prefer Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Trump dismissed her as not having the “support” or “respect” to lead the country. Other Republicans including Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are calling on Trump to look to Edmundo González, who many nations consider the rightful winner of Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election.
Behind the scenes, some Republicans are entering the week, as many Democrats are saying publicly, feeling misled by Rubio and the others in the administration about what the endgame has been for Venezuela. Lawmakers have generally trusted Rubio, their former colleague, but the Venezuela attack is straining the relationship.
Rubio on Sunday was vague on the administration’s transition plans for Venezuela. Instead of outlining Trump’s pledge to “run” the country, he said the U.S. is not occupying Venezuela and is instead implementing a “quarantine that allows us to exert tremendous leverage over what happens next.”
— The war powers vote: Despite some bipartisan misgivings, it doesn’t yet appear there will be a groundswell of GOP opposition to Trump’s move if the Senate votes this week on whether to limit further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. A November vote on the issue garnered support from just two Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).
House Democrats in a private meeting Sunday discussed how they could force Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote on war powers, according to three people granted anonymity. House Republicans in December narrowly defeated a resolution to block military action in Venezuela, with Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) breaking with their party to support it.
Massie’s aggressive rebuke of the weekend attack is opening a new front in his primary as he faces off against Trump-backed challenger and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.
What else we’re watching:
— Shutdown vibes not so bad: House leaders are hoping to put a three-bill funding package on the floor Thursday covering Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment and Energy-Water. If the House passes it with Democratic support, it could also become a vehicle for a stop-gap continuing resolution in the Senate.
— Health care action: House Democrats will move as soon as Wednesday to force a vote on extending expired Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal planning. The House could pass the bill by Thursday but it’s on track to die in the Senate.
Jordain Carney, Meredith Lee Hill, Nicholas Wu, Lisa Kashinsky and Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.
