The Trump administration recently launched a military strike on Caracas, Venezuela, to capture President Nicolás Maduro, an action that has sparked immediate international and domestic debate.

The White House recently announced the apprehension of Maduro, but the operation proceeded without congressional approval, igniting a swift backlash from the America First supporters. Prominent voices like Clint Russell from Liberty Lockdown quickly mirrored the base’s frustration, declaring, “The US is now bombing Caracas, Venezuela. Not. What. I. Voted. For.” This military endeavor marks a deliberate departure from the America First agenda, executed in contravention of constitutional mandates to safeguard a financial system.

The Constitutional Betrayal Foretold

In a speech on December 17th, Rep. Thomas Massie emphasized that the power to declare war is a fundamental responsibility of Congress, a prerogative the Constitution withholds from the executive branch. Massie quoted James Madison, asserting that “in no part of the Constitution is more wisdom to be found than in the clause which confides the question of war and peace to the legislature and not the executive.”

Furthermore, Glenn Greenwald reinforced this point, noting that the administration allowed no public debate or discussion in Congress, which the Constitution requires to authorize new wars. Therefore, the subsequent raid, launched without a congressional vote, constitutes a direct and willful violation of the very principle Massie championed on the House floor.

The administration’s stated rationale for the conflict is a purported battle against drug trafficking; however, this claim is a thinly veiled attempt to mask their true objective: maintaining the U.S. petrodollar system. The 25-page indictment from Attorney General Pam Bondi notably omits any mention of “fentanyl” or “stolen oil,” the two public reasons cited for military action. Instead, the focus is solely on cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism, revealing the administration’s public justification as misleading. As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pointed out, fentanyl is responsible for over 70% of U.S. drug overdose deaths and originates from Mexican cartels, yet the administration has chosen to target Venezuela.

The underlying motive for the invasion stems from Venezuela’s challenge to the petrodollar. Analyst Ricardo noted that the U.S. financial system is heavily reliant on a 1974 agreement with Saudi Arabia mandating oil sales in U.S. dollars. Venezuela, holding the largest oil reserves globally, began selling oil in Chinese yuan and sought BRICS membership, posing a direct threat to this arrangement.

This scenario follows a historical precedent where countries like Iraq and Libya faced invasions after contesting the dollar’s dominance. Although Venezuela lacked a central bank before, the new administration will establish one, further embedding the nation into the global financial framework. Thus, the administration has misled the public, framing a phony drug war to justify a foreign intervention driven by monetary interests.

“This is about oil and regime change.”

“Previous presidents told us to go to war over… pic.twitter.com/XzwsC1uPpU

— Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) January 3, 2026

The Fraudulent Pretext: A War for the Petrodollar

The administration’s official justification for the war—a crusade against drug trafficking—remains a transparent lie to conceal the true motive: preserving the U.S. petrodollar system. Interestingly, the 25-page indictment released by Attorney General Pam Bondi makes no mention of “fentanyl” or “stolen oil,” the two primary public justifications for the military action. Instead, the charges focus exclusively on cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism, exposing the administration’s public reasoning as a fabrication. As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stated, fentanyl causes over 70% of U.S. drug overdose deaths and comes from Mexican cartels, yet the administration targets Venezuela instead.

The real reason for the invasion lies in Venezuela’s challenge to the petrodollar. As analyst Ricardo explained, the entire American financial system rests on a 1974 deal with Saudi Arabia that requires all oil sales in U.S. dollars. Venezuela, possessing the world’s largest oil reserves, began selling its oil in Chinese yuan and petitioned to join BRICS, directly threatening this financial order.

This follows a clear historical pattern where nations like Iraq and Libya faced invasion after challenging the dollar’s hegemony. Notably, Venezuela did not have a central bank, but the new administration will establish one now, further integrating the nation into the global financial system. Thus, the administration lied to the American people, using a phony drug war to justify a foreign intervention that serves financial interests.

The Betrayal of America First: ‘Not What I Voted For’

Furthermore, the Venezuela intervention provides a textbook example of the nation-building and foreign entanglements that the America First movement seeks to stop. Glenn Greenwald noted that Donald Trump ran on a platform of opposing regime change wars in three separate elections, yet Maduro poses no threat to the United States. Clint Russell’s visceral reaction—”Not. What. I. Voted. For.”—perfectly encapsulates the feeling of betrayal among Trump’s own supporters. By proceeding with the raid, the administration demonstrates a complete disregard for the will of its voters and abandons the promise to put American lives first.

A Deliberate Defiance of the Constitution

The unconstitutional war in Venezuela represents a calculated act of defiance against the Constitution and the principled warnings of America First conservatives. As Greenwald warned, the public must not get caught up in the “climate of intoxication and war propaganda” surrounding the capture of a “bad guy,” as these actions consistently lead to instability and violence.

Therefore, Americans must stand with Rep. Thomas Massie and demand that their representatives support the War Powers resolution. The voice of the people must prevail, and the Constitution must withstand the actions of a rogue executive branch committed to endless wars for financial interests.