Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed former Vice President Kamala Harris, who condemned the capture of the Venezuelan socialist dictator, Nicolás Maduro. Harris claimed that the operation is not in the best interest of Americans and claimed that the so-called four-hour war was "for regime change or oil."
On Sunday, in an interview with NBC, Rubio questioned why the Biden administration would offer a $25 million reward for the capture of Venezuela’s leader and then not expect it ever to be enforced. For too long, U.S. foreign policy has amounted to issuing strongly worded statements while condemning serious action against our enemies.
“In the Biden administration, they had a $25 million reward for [Maduro’s] capture,” Rubio told NBC News’ Kristen Welker. “So, we have a reward for his capture, but we’re not going to enforce it?”
“That’s the difference between President Trump and everybody else … President Trump did something about it.”
On Saturday, alongside every other democrat, Kamala Harris condemned President Trump's operation in Venezuela, which saw the country's socialist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, captured in around four hours.
"Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable," Harris wrote on X. "That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise. We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that are sold as strength but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price."
The American people do not want this, and they are tired of being lied to.
This is not about drugs or democracy. It is about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional strongman. If he cared about either, he wouldn’t pardon a convicted drug trafficker or sideline Venezuela’s legitimate opposition while pursuing deals with Maduro’s cronies.
The President is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit at home.
America needs leadership whose priorities are lowering costs for working families, enforcing the rule of law, strengthening alliances, and — most importantly — putting the American people first.
Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 4, 2026
That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise. We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that…
Rubio went on to slam critics who claimed the operation was not in America's best interest, or who claimed that the U.S. was only after Venezuelan oil.
Marco Rubio dismantles Kristen Welker as he explains how President Trump's use of military intervention is 'America First':
— Ryan Saavedra (@RyanSaavedra) January 4, 2026
"We don't need Venezuela's oil. We have plenty of oil in the United States. What we're not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be… pic.twitter.com/8b9cubAfsn
🚨 HOLY SMOKES. Marco Rubio just laid down the law.The Western Hemisphere is OURS.China Russia and Iran can GET OUT.KRISTEN WELKER tried it “Why does the US need Venezuelan oil?”RUBIO snapped back “Why does CHINA need it? Russia? Iran? This is the WEST. This is WHERE WE… pic.twitter.com/KP0TuFJsDl
— ⁿᵉʷˢ Barron Trump 🇺🇸 (@BarronTNews_) January 4, 2026
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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