Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to defend the Trump administration’s Venezuela actions during public testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later today, according to prepared remarks seen by Semafor.
The crux of Rubio’s message: The capture of Nicolás Maduro “was an operation to aid law enforcement.”
His appearance comes as the administration continues to face questions about next steps in Venezuela. Lawmakers will likely ask about the decision to hold Venezuelan oil proceeds in Qatar, and Rubio will be expected to address concerns about allowing interim Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez to head up Venezuela.
On Rodríguez, Rubio plans to emphasize that the Trump administration believes “her own self-interest aligns with advancing our key objectives.”
He’ll also deliver a warning: President Donald Trump is “prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail.”