U.S. Congressmen usually have some level of decorum. They’re rarely as blunt as this.
But now Lindsey Graham shocked all with a death threat sent to one world leader.
Graham’s Strong Call for Maduro’s Ouster
Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning that the ongoing U.S. operation against Venezuela would fail without Nicolás Maduro’s removal from power, describing it as a “fatal mistake to our standing in the world.”
“If after all this, we still leave this guy in power… that’s the worst possible signal you can send to Russia, China, Iran,” Graham, R-S.C., stated to reporters following a classified Senate-wide briefing by War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He emphasized historical parallels, noting, “We have legal authority, in my view, to do in Venezuela what we did regarding Panama and Haiti,” referencing the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama where leaders were ousted and detained.
Graham expressed confidence in President Trump’s intentions: “Every indication by President Trump is that the purpose of this operation is to shut down the (Maduro) regime and replace it with something less threatening to the United States.”
When asked if this implied regime change or even lethal action, he responded: “I don’t care as long as he leaves.”
“It got, yeah, 15% of the Navy pointed to this guy,” Graham added, highlighting the massive naval deployment in the Southern Command area as proof that falling short of removal would damage U.S. credibility.
The public awaits potential escalation to direct strikes inside Venezuelan territory to force Maduro out—a move Graham deems essential for success.
Bipartisan Frustration Over Briefing Ambiguity
Lawmakers from both parties emerged from the classified session expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of clear details on the administration’s endgame.
Trump officials remained vague on whether Caribbean narco-strikes might expand to Venezuelan soil or a full regime-change effort. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., described the briefing to Fox News Digital as “absent of specificity and detail” and left “more questions than answers.”
“I want to reassert, again, you cannot allow this man to be standing after this display of force, and I did not get a very good answer as to what happens,” Graham said. “What I want is some clarity going forward. Is that in fact the goal?… If it’s not the goal, it is a huge mistake.”
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., noted briefers assured a “very good process of determining if something’s a target or not” for boat strikes, but no insight into overall Maduro policy.
“Right now the focus has been on the boats,” Bacon said. “I don’t know what we’re doing yet with Venezuela writ large.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., called the session “more of an exercise in futility,” saying, “I really have no answers. Really didn’t gain anything more than what the public already has gotten.” He questioned the 15,000-troop deployment: “really no conversation about why… we got 15,000 troops there,” insisting it “doesn’t seem to be just about narcotics trafficking.”
Meeks highlighted war powers concerns, with briefers offering “no real rational decision or real answers” on potential “a war in Venezuela.” He plans legislation targeting recent strikes “in the Pacific, in the Caribbean” and any Trump move “to go into Venezuela.”
Administration’s Stance and Operational Details
Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the effort broadly: the mission is “focused on dismantling the infrastructure of these terrorist organizations that are operating in our hemisphere, undermining the security of Americans, k*lling Americans, poisoning Americans.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the War Department will withhold public release of video from the Sept. 2 narco-strikes—where Adm. Frank Bradley directed a “double tap” on survivors—limiting viewing to House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
Graham downplayed the footage controversy as “the least of my concerns” but pushed for release so Americans could “make your own decisions.”
The briefings occurred amid the most significant U.S. military presence in the region in decades, underscoring the high stakes as strikes continue and pressure mounts on Maduro.
