Leaders from Indiana react to Venezuela operation

Leaders from Indiana reacted to the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, in posts on the social media platform X on Saturday.

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said President Nicolás Maduro “turned Venezuela into a narco-state,” – adding, “Let this be a warning to every narcoterrorist in the Western Hemisphere.”

Indiana Governor Mike Braun said, “Indiana families have paid too high a price for the deadly drugs pushed by criminal regimes, and we stand with President Trump in holding them accountable.”

Sen Todd Young (R-Ind.) said, “We still need more answers, especially to questions regarding the next steps in Venezuela’s transition.” He said he’s eager to work with the Trump administration.

U.S. Rep Andre Carson (D-Ind.) urged Congress to act now in a bipartisan way. "Trump’s move in Venezuela is a dangerous misuse of taxpayer dollars and an intolerable abuse of power. Only Congress has the power to declare war."

U.S. Rep Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.) thanked President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for, in his words, “holding narco-terrorist and drug trafficker Nicolás Maduro accountable.” Yakym called Saturday’s strikes “a decisive operation to protect Americans and uphold justice.”

Former South Bend mayor and U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg was critical. He called Saturday’s operation an “old and obvious pattern” of an unpopular president losing grip on power at home launching a war for regime change abroad. Buttigieg added, “The American people don’t want to ‘run’ a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.) said in a statement, “Maduro is responsible for immense human suffering,” but said he believes “Congress must be consulted and included” in this type of action.