Centrist House Democrats Furious Over Party Leadership’s Response to Maduro Capture: Report

Conservative News DailyJanuary 5, 2026

House Democrats are sharply divided over the Trump administration’s reported operation in Venezuela that resulted in Nicolás Maduro’s capture. Vulnerable, centrist Democrats – speaking anonymously – say the party should acknowledge a positive outcome when it occurs and avoid reflexively condemning anything associated with Trump, noting past Democratic warnings about Maduro’s corrupt election.More progressive members, including Rep. Melanie Stansbury, have called for Congress to rein in the president and criticized the operation as illegal; several lawmakers and voices on the left are raising constitutional and international-law objections and even discussing impeachment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries likewise complained the administration failed to seek congressional authorization. the episode highlights tensions between Democrats who prioritize accountability and procedural objections and those who fear appearing inconsistent on authoritarian regimes.

A couple of centrist House Democrats are reportedly upset with their more leftist peers for publicly complaining about the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

One swing-district House Democrat anonymously told Axios that this idea that “everything Trump touches must be bad” held by the Democratic base is not wise.

“Maduro is bad, glad he is gone,” the Democrat said, adding that his left-wing peers “can’t have it both ways.”

Peers like New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury, who over the weekend called for Congress to “rein” Trump in.

The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in.… pic.twitter.com/KsbxS6TbSp

— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) January 3, 2026

“As Democrats we can’t just condemn what happened,” a second vulnerable House Democrat said. “I wish the Democratic Party would be a little bit more measured on this.”

The Democrat also wished the party would be more consistent. As an example, the lawmaker drew attention to the way fellow Democrats had widely condemned Venezuela’s corrupt presidential election last year.

“What happened to when they had the election and Maduro stole the election?” the lawmaker asked. “There were Democrats condemning that. Have we forgotten what’s happened… in that country?”

“I think it looks weak,” a third House Democrat said, marveling at “how negative the response has been” from their side of the aisle. “If you don’t acknowledge when there is a win for our country, then you lose all credibility.”

These concerns, all relayed anonymously, contrasted sharply with the anti-Trump anger swirling among most elected Democratic lawmakers both in the House and Senate.

There is no justification for the United States to be at war with Venezuela.

I lived through the consequences of an illegal war sold to the American people with lies. We swore we would never repeat those mistakes. Yet here we are again.

The American people did not ask for this,…

— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) January 3, 2026

The anger goes all the way to the top.

“The Trump administration has not sought congressional authorization for the use of military force and has failed to properly notify Congress in advance of the operation in Venezuela,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries complained in a statement.

A number of House Democrats also suggested that it’s time to impeach President Donald Trump.

“We are in 25th Amendment territory now,” Rep. Jared Huffman of California told Axios.

The bombing of Venezuela and the kidnapping of Maduro are gross violations of international law and our own Constitution.

Trump and his administration have lied, consolidated power, and committed war crimes to seize Venezuelan oil and pursue regime change for their imperialistic… https://t.co/pUKqlyuSFw

— Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (@repdeliaramirez) January 3, 2026

During a Saturday news conference, California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell revealed that he too hasn’t ruled out impeachment, telling reporters that “all options are on the table,” according to NOTUS.

“What this president has done, in the shortcuts that he has taken, is he’s going to, one shortcut at a time, put us in a fascist cul-de-sac,” he said. “That’s where he’d taken us, that’s the objection. It’s not a process objection; it’s an objection for acting in such a fascistic way.”