Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Intelligence Committee, just slammed President Trump’s recent military operation in Venezuela, labeling the entire thing an “imperial adventure,” as per The Hill. This is a huge accusation, and Himes didn’t hold back, suggesting the administration is repeating the absolute worst mistakes the United States has made in modern foreign policy.
The operation in question was announced by President Trump himself when he confirmed that the U.S. had executed a “large-scale strike” on Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. Most critically, U.S. forces successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during the action. Following the capture, President Trump stated that the U.S. would “run” the South American country until a proper transition government could be installed. This garnered widespread criticism from global leaders.
According to the congressman, this “imperial adventure” is the last thing you’d expect from the guy who promised to be “America First” and avoid getting into “stupid wars.” It’s a powerful critique, especially since many people are already drawing comparisons between this new Venezuela operation and the deeply controversial war in Iraq, which history has shown was unjustified and a profound mistake.
The Connecticut representative stressed that the immediate danger isn’t the action itself, but the lack of planning for the aftermath
“We’re caught up in this euphoria of how amazing we are at taking down leaders,” Himes said. He warned that this feeling of success blinds policymakers to the long-term consequences. He then ticked off a list of historical disasters that should serve as warnings. He believes the U.S. is experiencing the same dangerous euphoria that happened in 2002 after the Taliban went down, in 2003 when Saddam Hussein was captured in Iraq, and again in 2011 when Moammar Gadhafi was killed in Libya.
Himes continued, reminding us of the brutal reality of those interventions. “Let’s tick through those countries, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya,” he challenged. “Post our removal of those leaders, I think all of us would look back and say, ‘Oh, my God, we don’t want to do that again. We don’t want to not have a plan for the next day.’”
Beyond the foreign policy critique, Himes also ripped into the administration for its disregard of the legislative branch. He argued that the Venezuela operation is just another example of the administration “not giving a hoot about the United States Congress.” He pointed a finger directly at Republicans who seem to offer automatic support for the president’s actions.
Himes specifically called out Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who had previously stated repeatedly that he simply trusts the president. Himes suggested that Jordan’s comments effectively “gave the game away,” revealing a level of trust that allows the administration to pursue military action without proper checks and balances. “I hope you can play that interview over and over and over again, because he gave the game away, right? He said over and over again, ‘I trust the president,’” Himes stated.
It’s clear that Himes sees the operation as a failure of both policy and process. He’s not just worried about the fighting; he’s worried that the U.S. has once again allowed the immediate rush of victory to overshadow the crucial, difficult work of ensuring stability and democracy the day after a dictator is removed. We’re seeing history repeat itself, and that’s truly awful news for everyone involved.
Published: Jan 5, 2026 10:00 am