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NPR’s Daniel Estrin discusses with Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. DANIEL ESTRIN, HOST: Before last night’s dramatic operations in Venezuela, which saw U.S. forces capturing the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, President Trump, as well as members of his cabinet, downplayed talk of regime change. However, that very possibility dominated the conversation, and for months, U.S. operations against Venezuela have been escalating without any congressional oversight.Senator Jeanne Shaheen is a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She’s a Democrat representing New Hampshire, and she joins us now.…

Protesters rally outside the White House Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Washington, after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP President Trump’s move to depose Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has drawn praise inside the United States, especially from Republican leaders. But the invasion also faces significant skepticism, questions about legality, and full-throated opposition from some elected officials across the political spectrum. Here’s a survey. Some Republicans condemn, or question, Trump’s invasion While most conservative lawmakers voiced support for Trump’s action, a small group…

The oil tanker “Minerva Astra” lies at anchor in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Matias Delacroix/AFP Tvia Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Matias Delacroix/AFP Tvia Getty Images Hours after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, President Trump made it clear that the U.S. operation is about — at least in part — control of Venezuela’s oil. “We’re going to have our very large U.S. oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said during a press conference Saturday.…

Supporters of Venezuela’s current and former president, Nicolas Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez, hold posters with their images in Caracas on Saturday. Jesus Vargas/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Jesus Vargas/Getty Images President Donald Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela, following a stunning military operation on Caracas early Saturday in which the country’s President, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by U.S. military forces. On Saturday evening, a plane carrying Maduro landed at New York’s Stewart Air National Guard Base, according to video footage on CNN. A video posted on X by the White House’s rapid response account later appeared…

Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado speaks during a press conference at the government’s representative facilities in Oslo, Norway, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. Stian Lysberg Solum/Pool NTB Scanpix via AP hide caption toggle caption Stian Lysberg Solum/Pool NTB Scanpix via AP After the overnight capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in the capital city of Caracas, questions remain as to who will lead the country. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, has called for Edmundo González, to be recognized as the rightful leader of the nation. He was widely…

Politics / January 3, 2026 Senators and House members accuse Trump and his aides of disregarding the Constitution and lying to Congress. Ad Policy President Donald Trump, alongside deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, speaks to the press following US military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026.(Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images) President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Saturday at 3:21 am, “The…

President Donald Trump, alongside (L/R) Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaks to the media following US military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3. JIM WATSON/AFP hide caption toggle caption JIM WATSON/AFP President Trump escalated the U.S. drug war in dramatic fashion early Saturday, ordering the invasion of Venezuela and removing that country’s president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were quickly charged with narcotics trafficking by the U.S. Justice Department. But the stunning military action comes at…

Politics / January 2, 2026 As America celebrates its 250th birthday, remember the founder who rallied the people against British and American oligarchs. Ad Policy Thomas Paine.(Universal History Archive via Getty Images) The 250th anniversary of the American experiment, which is being celebrated this year, is sure to witness a struggle over the story—and future—of the United States. On one side will stand advocates for capitalism without constraint, Christian nationalism, and colonial conquest. They will make ahistorical apologies for the bedraggled presidency of Donald Trump and for a subservient Republican Congress that is increasingly likely to be disempowered by the…

U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions as he announced the creation of the “Trump-class” battleship during a statement to the media at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on December 22, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images This is a developing story. President Trump said Saturday there were some U.S. injuries suffered during the operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but no fatalities. “This is something that gee, I don’t know, is amazing and to have a few injuries but no death on our side was really amazing,” Trump said, speaking on Fox…

Politics / January 2, 2026 New reporting shows that Trump’s split with his pedophile friend was opportunistic. Ad Policy Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, on February 22, 1997.(Davidoff Studios / Getty Images) On Christmas Day, Donald Trump delivered the most bizarre yuletide message ever offered by a US president. Complaining that he’s being unfairly linked to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Trump posted a long rant on Truth Social that began, “Merry Christmas to all, including the many Sleazebags who loved Jeffrey Epstein.” Trump went on to lament how he is…