President Trump has launched an illegal and dangerous military campaign in Venezuela — without a vote from Congress, without a clear legal justification, and without regard for the lives already lost.

Over the past several months, Trump ordered U.S. forces to carry out attacks on Venezuelan boats and infrastructure under the pretext of drug enforcement. Then, in a stunning escalation, he announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during what he called a “large scale strike.” These actions were not approved by Congress and appear to violate both U.S. and international law.

No matter what one thinks of the Maduro regime — and there’s no question it has committed serious abuses — the Constitution is clear: only Congress has the power to authorize acts of war. Skipping that step isn’t strength — it’s authoritarianism.

This isn’t just about Venezuela. It’s about the precedent we set here at home. If any president can unilaterally deploy troops, bomb foreign targets, and overthrow governments without public debate or legal accountability, then we’ve abandoned the very principles our democracy was built on.

There are also credible allegations that U.S. forces engaged in extrajudicial killings — including a second missile strike on unarmed Venezuelan sailors clinging to wreckage. These are potential war crimes. We cannot look away.

Congress must act immediately.

We are calling on House and Senate leadership, including members of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, to launch a full investigation into the legality of Trump’s actions.

The American people deserve answers. Our allies deserve clarity. And the world deserves to know that the United States still abides by the rule of law.

We’ve seen the consequences of unchecked military power before — in Iraq, in Libya, and beyond. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past.

Sign this petition to demand a congressional investigation into the Trump administration’s unauthorized military actions in Venezuela. We must restore democratic oversight before it's too late.