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Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday evening criticized Trump’s arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, saying the operation was “illegal” and “unwise.”
In a lengthy op-ed for X, Harris acknowledged that Maduro is a “brutal” and “illegitimate” dictator but said President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela “do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.”
“Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable,” Harris wrote. “That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was illegal and unwise. We have seen this movie before.
“Government wars or oil sold as energy have turned into chaos, and American families are paying the price.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris had strong words about Trump’s kidnapping of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. (Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)
Harris made the comments hours after the Trump administration confirmed that Maduro and his wife had been kidnapped and taken out of Venezuela as part of Operation Absolute Resolve.
The former vice president also accused the administration of being motivated by oil rather than efforts to fight drug trafficking or promote democracy.
“The American people don’t want this, and they’re tired of being lied to. This isn’t about drugs or democracy. It’s about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional hero,” Harris said. “If he cared about either, he wouldn’t have pardoned a convicted drug trafficker or sidelined the Venezuelan opposition while making deals with Maduro’s supporters.”
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President Donald Trump shared a photo of exiled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima after Saturday’s strikes in Venezuela. (Donald Trump via Truth Social)
Harris, who has been rumored as a potential Democratic contender in the 2028 presidential race, also accused the president of endangering the US military and destabilizing the region.
“The President puts the military at risk, spends billions, disrupts the region, and does not provide the authority of the law, the exit plan, and there is no benefit at home,” he said. “America needs leadership whose priorities are lowering costs for working families, enforcing the law, strengthening coalitions, and — most importantly — putting the American people first.”
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe, left, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio watch US military operations in Venezuela from Mar-a-Lago in Florida early Saturday. (Donald Trump via Truth Social)
Maduro and his wife arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Saturday after being airlifted from the DEA in Manhattan after processing.
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Earlier in the day, Trump said the US government will “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can make a safe, proper and prudent transition.”
Harris’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
