January 4th, 2026 by WCBC Radio

 U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding Trump strikes in Venezuela “The American people did not ask for this act of war to bring about regime change in Venezuela – nor did Congress authorize it. President Trump has put our troops in harm’s way, and he has not provided a clear, fact-based rationale for these actions, nor the long-term strategy following these strikes. This Administration owes the American people and the Congress immediate answers. This act of war is a grave abuse of power by the President. The Trump Administration is repeating the worst mistakes of our past and endangering American lives – and their motive for doing so is a farce. Trump seized Maduro and his wife just weeks after he pardoned former Honduran President – and notorious convicted drug kingpin – Juan Orlando Hernández. Maduro is a dictator, but his regime did not pose the immediate threat necessary to warrant U.S. military action on foreign soil without Congressional approval. This is not about demolishing a dictatorship, as we’ve seen Trump cozy up to dictators around the world. This is about trying to grab Venezuela's oil for Trump's billionaire buddies. Congress must not abdicate its constitutional authority and allow control of the world’s most powerful military to fall into just one set of hands.”