Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a passionate defense of President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday, while simultaneously working to calm international concerns about the administration’s aggressive rhetoric toward Greenland and NATO allies. The former Florida senator faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers as he outlined the administration’s foreign policy priorities across multiple global hotspots.
In what marked the first public congressional hearing since the January 3rd military operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from power, Rubio insisted the action had eliminated a significant national security threat in America’s backyard. He told senators that the United States is demonstrably safer following the operation, emphasizing that the administration plans to collaborate with Venezuela’s interim government to establish stability in the crisis-ridden South American nation.
Rubio acknowledged that rebuilding Venezuela would require patience and sustained effort. He expressed optimism about the country’s trajectory, stating that conditions have already improved compared to four weeks earlier. The Secretary predicted continued progress over the coming months, arguing that Venezuela’s future prospects are substantially brighter without Maduro’s authoritarian leadership. He notably retreated from prepared remarks suggesting additional military action might be necessary, instead assuring senators that no further operations are currently anticipated or planned.
The hearing exposed deep partisan divisions, with Republican senators largely praising the Venezuela operation while Democrats expressed profound skepticism. Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about potential global ramifications, questioning whether Trump’s actions might embolden China to move against Taiwan or encourage further Russian aggression in Ukraine. They also challenged the administration’s confrontational approach toward Denmark over Greenland and Trump’s critical comments about NATO member contributions.
Rubio sought to defuse tensions surrounding multiple international flashpoints. He reported that diplomatic discussions about Greenland are progressing and that initial uproar within NATO has subsided. The Secretary dismissed suggestions that Trump is undermining the transatlantic alliance, characterizing the president’s complaints about defense spending as merely louder versions of longstanding American grievances. He stated that NATO requires reimagining for contemporary challenges while defending the fundamental importance of the partnership.