U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters is once again stepping onto a political fault line she knows well, announcing that she is “reconsidering” whether President Donald Trump should face impeachment following his decision to launch military strikes in Venezuela, detain President Nicolás Maduro, and seize control of the country’s oil infrastructure without congressional approval.
In a blistering Sunday statement, Waters called the president’s actions “an unprecedented escalation of an unlawful invasion,” accusing him of asserting power “far beyond what the Constitution allows.” The 87-year-old California Democrat, who serves as ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, warned that Trump’s conduct represents a dangerous new chapter in executive overreach.
“What we are witnessing is the detention of foreign leaders and a president openly asserting power far beyond what the Constitution allows,” Waters said. “We cannot normalize it. We cannot excuse it. And we cannot allow any president to place himself above the Constitution, Congress, or the rule of law.”
Her remarks add to a growing Democratic outcry over Trump’s surprise strike on Venezuela, an operation that bypassed congressional authorization and has thrust the United States into a murky and potentially prolonged foreign entanglement. The White House has claimed the secrecy was necessary to prevent leaks, but Democratic leaders argue the administration has provided no evidence of an imminent threat that would justify military action.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who will attend a Monday briefing with the Trump administration, pushed back sharply against the president’s justification. “There’s been no evidence… of an imminent threat to the national security of the American people,” Jeffries said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “This was not simply a counter-narcotics operation. It was an act of war. Only Congress has the power to authorize such actions.”
Waters, who rose to prominence during Trump’s first administration by calling for his impeachment—twice successfully in the House—said Democrats must revisit the question despite Republican control of Congress.
“Even if Republicans refuse to act, Democrats cannot remain silent or passive in the face of actions this extreme,” she said. Trump’s boast that he can “determine who governs Venezuela,” she argued, is “reckless, delusional, and extremely dangerous.”
Comparing the situation to the lead-up to the Iraq War, Waters warned that history is “ringing alarms.” She vowed not to “stand idly by” as Trump’s actions risk dragging the country into another conflict driven by “oil and lies.”
The administration’s classified briefing to congressional leaders is scheduled for Monday, setting the stage for what could become the most severe constitutional showdown of Trump’s second term.
