Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has launched a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela, warning that the administration’s approach neither strengthens American security nor serves the interests of working families at home.
In a statement posted on her official X account on Sunday, Harris described the unfolding situation as “unlawful and unwise,” arguing that history has repeatedly shown the dangers of foreign interventions framed as strength but ending in chaos.
“Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable,” Harris said, stressing that while Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro remains “a brutal, illegitimate dictator,” that reality does not justify what she characterised as reckless interventionism.
Harris cautioned that regime-change operations — often sold to the public as necessary for democracy or security — have previously resulted in prolonged instability, loss of life, and economic consequences borne largely by ordinary American families.
“We’ve seen this movie before,” she said. “Wars for regime change or oil that are sold as strength but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price.”
Rejecting the administration’s stated justifications, Harris argued that the move has little to do with combating drug trafficking or promoting democratic values, instead framing it as a pursuit of strategic dominance and access to oil resources.
“This is not about drugs or democracy,” she said. “It is about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional strongman.”
She further accused the president of hypocrisy, pointing to past decisions, including the pardon of a convicted drug trafficker and what she described as the sidelining of Venezuela’s legitimate opposition in favour of dealings with figures linked to the Maduro government.
According to Harris, the president’s actions place U.S. troops at unnecessary risk, drain public funds, and destabilise an already fragile region — all without clear legal authority, a defined exit strategy, or tangible benefits for Americans at home.
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“The President is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit at home,” she said.
Harris concluded by calling for a return to what she described as people-centred leadership, urging policies that focus on reducing living costs, strengthening alliances, enforcing the rule of law, and prioritising the welfare of American citizens.
“America needs leadership whose priorities are lowering costs for working families, enforcing the rule of law, strengthening alliances, and — most importantly — putting the American people first,” she added.
Her comments come amid growing domestic and international scrutiny of U.S. actions in Venezuela, as lawmakers and foreign policy analysts debate the legality, intent, and long-term consequences of Washington’s renewed posture toward the South American nation.