President Donald Trump’s allies in the Republican Party and his Make America Great Again movement — even some who previously warned against wading into new foreign conflicts — largely rallied behind his actions in Venezuela on Saturday, hours after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in a large-scale military operation.
Trump faced criticism from some conservatives who worried he was straying from his “America First” pledges, as well as from Democrats who questioned the legality of his move and his long-term strategy. But most Republicans, including leaders on Capitol Hill, hawkish figures who have sometimes criticized Trump’s foreign policy positions, conservatives in South Florida, and influencers within his political movement, backed the president on Saturday.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina praised Trump’s action, writing on social media: “We will be more prosperous and safer for it. I am hoping and praying that the Venezuelan people will soon have a fresh start on democracy and freedom.”
But he cautioned that the United States should turn over control of Venezuela quickly.
“The President is correct to counsel patience. We have to get this right. But the sooner Venezuela is put back in the hands of the Venezuelan people, the better,” Graham said.
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