Another Republican senator expressed reservations against escalating the military campaign against Venezuela further, saying that forcing authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro from power could catalyze unforeseen consequences.
"I think we just have to be very careful when we're dealing with regime change. It seems to backfire a lot," said Sen. Roger Marshall, according to The Hill.
Another GOP senator who requested anonymity said the Trump administration seems intent on enacting regime change even though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators that was not the goal.
"I do not want to put ground troops in Venezuela. I don't want to have another Afghanistan or Iraq," the senator the outlet. "I'm not in favor of U.S.-directed regime change."
The Republican lawmaker who has been the most vocal in his opposition to the actions is Rand Paul, who slammed the recent seizure of tankers off Venezuela, saying he is against the moves and calling them a "provocation and a prelude to war."
"I'm not for confiscating these liners. I'm not for blowing up these boats of unarmed people that are suspected of being drug dealers. I'm not for any of this," Paul recently told ABC News.
Trump, on his end, issued a new warning to Maduro on Monday, saying it would be "smart" for him to leave power and, if he "plays tough," it will "be the last time he's ever able to play tough."
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump was asked if the end goal of his military campaign in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which has included dozens of strikes against alleged drug vessels and more recently the seizure of sanctioned oil tankers off Venezuela, is removing Maduro from power.
"That's up to him what he wants to do. I think it would be smart for him to do that. But again, we're going to find out," Trump responded.
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