Rubio says U.S. doesn't expect to take further military action in Venezuela "at any time"

The hearing concluded after Rubio answered senators' questions on foreign policy issues ranging from Venezuela to Greenland for nearly three hours. 

Rubio told senators the presence of U.S. troops in the Middle East necessitates a baseline of assets in the region in case Iran decides to target U.S. bases.

"We have 30,000 to 40,000 American troops stationed across eight or nine facilities in the region," he told Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. All of those troops are "within the reach of thousands of Iranian one-way [drones]" and "short-range ballistic missiles."

Cornyn noted the influx of military assets to the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, and asked what would happen if the supreme leader of Iran were ousted.

"I don't think anyone can give you a simple answer as to what happens next in Iran if the supreme leader and the regime were to fall, other than the hope there would be somebody within their systems to work towards a similar transition," Rubio replied.

He added, "I think it's wise and prudent to have a force posture within the region that could respond and potentially, not necessarily what's going to happen, but if necessary, preemptively prevent the attack against thousands of American servicemen and other facilities in the region and our allies."

GOP Sen. John Curtis of Utah expressed his frustration to Rubio about the lack of information lawmakers have received on issues related to Venezuela. 

"I couldn't get a briefing on the drug operations until the Kaine war powers resolution, and then all of a sudden, we get a briefing," Curtis told Rubio, referring to the efforts led by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine to limit further military operations in and around Venezuela without congressional approval. 

Curtis said he supports the administration's actions, but "the administration could get Congress to be a better partner by informing us better." 

Asked about the administration's international Board of Peace by Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Rubio stressed that it is not a replacement for the United Nations. 

"There are a lot of countries with whom we normally work very closely and with whom we are aligned geopolitically in terms of values that are not on the Board of Peace," Schatz said. "I just worry that a lot of our friends are not on that list, and some of our adversaries are."

Schatz said it's reasonable to wonder whether this is a "competitive structure to, sort of, either undermine the U.N. or circumvent the U.N."

Rubio said it's a U.N. resolution that created the mechanism by which the board was set up, and "the primary and sole focus of that board right now is to administer phase 2 and phase 3 of the plan in Gaza."

Rubio said "all these countries have been invited," while some in Europe have "chosen not to join" either because they require constitutional approval by their parliament or because they have concerns about the board being a replacement for the U.N.

"This is not a replacement for the U.N.," Rubio said. "But the U.N. has served very little purpose in the case of Gaza, other than the food assistance, and so we think it's critical to have something that's in charge of that."

Rubio sparred with Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois over whether the U.S. is at war with Venezuela. 

The exchange began when Duckworth asked whether he would ask Mr. Trump to rescind his invocation of the wartime Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law the administration has used to rapidly deport migrants accused of being members of the gang Tren de Aragua. 

Rubio said the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela, but said criminal gangs "have waged war on the United States." 

"We're not in a state of war in Venezuela," he said, later adding, "there's no doubt about the fact we're confronting them in a war-like setting." 

Duckworth pressed Rubio on how the administration could invoke a wartime law while also claiming it's not at war. Rubio said Duckworth's questions about the law are better directed to the Justice Department. 

GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida questioned Rubio about the administration's expectations regarding elections in Venezuela and "how patient" its people should be.

Rubio said that before Maduro was captured by the U.S., Venezuela was in a "frozen situation." 

"Now, for the first time in literally a decade, there is the opportunity that something could change — there's not the guarantee that something could change — but there is the opportunity that something will change. We have changed that dynamic," he said.

"It is our sincere belief that the only way you're going to have a free, prosperous Venezuela that's allied with the United States is one in which every sector of their society is represented in their politics," Rubio said.

He said, "You have to have a process of internal reconciliation that allows these voices to begin to participate in the political life of that country."

"We want a Venezuela that has legitimate democratic elections," Rubio said.

"Where there is a transition from autocracy to democracy — it's not linear," Rubio said. "In some cases, there are ups and downs along the way. But it's trending in the right direction so far, with the recognition that, you know, more work needs to be done."

Rubio said no U.S. taxpayer dollars would be spent in Venezuela, telling Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon that the administration is "not spending money in Venezuela right now." 

"I'm glad you restated that," Merkley said, expressing concern that the Trump administration could move to subsidize American oil companies who help rebuild Venezuela's infrastructure. 

The president misspoke when he repeatedly referred to Greenland as Iceland during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Rubio acknowledged to Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. 

"He meant to say Greenland," Rubio said. "I think we're all familiar with presidents that have verbal stumbles. We've got presidents like that before. Some made a lot more than this." 

After Mr. Trump's mistake, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that there had been any mixup. 

"His written remarks referred to Greenland as a 'piece of ice' because that's what it is," she told a reporter who pointed out the mistake. "You're the only one mixing anything up here." 

Rubio also told Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy that there would be no U.S. military presence in Venezuela beyond the Marines who provide security at the embassy. 

The U.S. currently does not have an operating embassy in the country, but could resume operations in the future. 

"The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy," Rubio said. "That is our goal. That is our expectation." 

Rubio also told senators "with full certainty" that the U.S. is "not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time." 

Rubio told Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, that he can't give a timeline for Venezuela's transition to a democratic regime. 

''I can't give you a timeline. It can't take forever," Rubio said. "We need to be much further along six months from now, even three months from now." 

"Three or four or five months from now cannot look like what today looks like," Rubio told Murphy. 

Rubio told senators that technical-level meetings with Denmark and Greenland are planned, as Mr. Trump seeks to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. The secretary of state said there's  a "professional" process in place that will result in a "good outcome for everybody." 

"The president's interest in Greenland has been clear. It's a national security interest," he said. 

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concern that the president escalated his threats to take over Greenland, including by military force. But Rubio said Mr. Trump has "made very clear that the United States was not going to use force or military force in Greenland." 

"I'll say, we're in a good place right now," he said. 

Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, reminded Rubio that the purpose of congressional oversight is to "encourage, if necessary to compel, consultation between the administration and Congress."

"Of course, the commander in chief has, under Article II, the power to defend the American people against an imminent threat, or an incoming attack. How else could we be kept safe," Coons said. "But our Article I power requires consultation."

Coons called the Maduro capture "flawlessly executed," but also said that it was a "dangerous and high risk maneuver."

"I am glad that it ended as well as it possibly could," Coons said. "But the point here, that I want to make first, is that it was rehearsed for months."

Coons emphasized, "if there was time to practice, there was time to consult."

Rubio acknowledged that consultation with Congress has been a "point of tension" in this administration and others. But he argued that "this is a very unique situation that we faced here."

"The truth of the matter is that this mission could not have been briefed to Congress because it wasn't even in the realm of possible until very late in December, when all of our efforts to negotiate with Maduro had failed, and the president was finally presented these options that made these decision," Rubio said.

Rubio added, "it was also a trigger-based operation. It may never have happened. It required a number of factors to all align at the right place, at the right time, in a very limited window."

He said despite the efforts to keep the mission "quite constrained," it was ultimately leaked by a Pentagon contractor. And had it been published, he said lives would have been endangered or the ability to carry out the mission forfeited.

"This is a real tension and one that I'm doing the best that I can to manage," Rubio said. 

Coons responded that "the Gang of Eight has never leaked."

"It is critical that you consult with Congress," Coons said. "For us to be safe our allies have to trust us, and for this committee to do our work, we have to trust you."

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen grew frustrated with Rubio over the president's treatment of NATO allies. She asked Rubio whether he still believes the U.S. benefits from the alliance that was formed after World War II. 

"We do," Rubio said. "But NATO needs to be reimagined." 

He added, "without the U.S., there is no NATO." 

"In order for NATO to be stronger, our partners need to be stronger," he said. 

Rubio said the U.S. also has other defense needs around the world and its partners need to increase their readiness.

"They have to be willing to step up, but they also have to be capable of stepping up. And frankly, many of them have not," he said. 

Shaheen said the Trump administration's antagonization of its allies "weakens our ability to confront our adversaries." She pointed to Canada's decision to seek a trade deal with China amid Mr. Trump's tariff war. 

Rubio said the Trump administration tried to make a deal with Maduro to get him to step down from power and leave Venezuela, but he refused. 

"We made multiple attempts to get Maduro to leave voluntarily and to avoid all of this," Rubio said. "You couldn't make a deal with this guy." 

Rubio said Maduro is "just simply not a guy you can make a deal with" and was trying to buy time until the end of Mr. Trump's second term, when a new administration could potentially be more favorable to Maduro.  

Rubio went off script from his prepared remarks, outlining to senators that he would focus on "what happens now, moving forward," noting that he expected senators to ask about what led up to Maduro's capture. 

"We had in our hemisphere a regime operated by an indicted narco-trafficker that became a base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary and enemy in the world," Rubio said. 

Rubio said "it was an enormous strategic risk for the United States."

"It was an untenable situation and it had to be addressed, and it was addressed," Rubio added. 

The secretary of state said "we want to reach a phase of transition where we are left with a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela — and Democratic — in which all elements of society are represented in free and fair elections."

"We're not going to get there in three weeks, it's going to take some time," Rubio said.

Rubio said the first objective in the aftermath of Maduro's removal was stability. And he cited oil sanctions as a key tool. Rubio also said part of the "recovery phase" is "beginning to create space for different voices inside of Venezuelan politics to have an ability to speak out." He said part of that involves the release of political prisoners. 

"I am not here to claim to you this is going to be easy or simple," Rubio said. "I am saying that in three and a half, almost four weeks, we are much further along on this project than we thought we would be."

He added, "we're making good and decent progress."

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the committee, asked Rubio if the Maduro raid was worth it, given the cost of staging U.S. forces in the region and the fact that the remainder of Venezuela's leadership is still intact. 

"Maduro's vice president — now the interim president — has taken no steps to diminish Iran, China or Russia's considerable influence in Venezuela — one of the reasons that has been given for the mission. Her cooperation appears tactical and temporary, not a real shift in Venezuela's alignment. In the process we've traded one dictator for another," Shaheen said.

Shaheen accused the Trump administration of "losing sight of what actually advances America's interests and delivers results for the American people," while China expands its influence. 

Shaheen blamed Mr. Trump's tariffs for driving away allies and pushing them into China's arms.  

"It is unilateral disarmament," she said.

Shaheen, who recently visited Denmark as part of a congressional delegation to reassure allies in the wake of Mr. Trump's threats to take over Greenland, also brought up the diplomatic flap. She said that Mr. Trump's threats "have shaken public confidence in the United States to the core." 

"At a moment when Russia is waging the largest land war in Europe since World War II, we should be strengthening allied unities and instead, we are undermining it," she said. "From Venezuela to Europe, the United States is spending more, risking more and achieving less." 

Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the committee's Republican chairman, reiterated his support for the daring operation to capture Maduro. He defended it as consistent with other military operations ordered by previous presidents who did not have congressional authorization. 

"The actions in Venezuela were limited in scope, short in duration, and done to protect U.S. interests and citizens. What President Trump has done in Venezuela is the definition of the president's Article II constitutional authorities as commander in chief," Risch said.  

The hearing gives Rubio an opportunity to publicly explain the administration's plans for Venezuela's future, especially to Americans who are wary of "forever wars," Risch said.

"I know this administration is laser-focused on avoiding these experiences," he said.

"With Nicolas Maduro out of power, the United States has the opportunity to better protect America by bringing stability to Venezuela," Risch said. "It is all our hope that the Venezuelan people will soon be able to hold free and fair elections for their leaders. To get there, Venezuela may require U.S. and international oversight to ensure these elections are indeed free and fair, unlike their most recent elections." 

Rubio entered the hearing room around 10 a.m., sitting for his testimony while photographers snapped photos of the secretary of state. The committee's chairman, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, gaveled in the hearing and began his opening statement.  

In his written remarks, Rubio said the U.S. expects Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, to cooperate on several U.S. priorities, including giving American companies "preferential access" to oil production, using revenues to purchase American goods and ending oil shipments to Cuba. 

"Rodríguez is well aware of the fate of Maduro; it is our belief that her own self-interest aligns with advancing our key objectives," Rubio said in his prepared statement. .  

Rubio said the Trump administration will "closely monitor" the interim leadership's cooperation with its plan for Venezuela's future. The U.S. is "prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail," he said. 

Rubio pushed back on the notion — that has come mostly from Democrats — that the operation to seize Maduro amounted to an act of war. 

"There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country. There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement. The United States arrested two narcotraffickers who are now going to stand trial in the United States for the crimes they committed against our people," he said, referring to Maduro and his wife, who were jailed on drug charges after U.S. forces flew them from Venezuela.

Last week, Mr. Trump said the U.S. used a secret weapon that made Venezuelan defenses inoperable during the raid to capture Maduro. 

In an interview with the New York Post last Friday, Mr. Trump called the weapon the "discombobulator" and said it made Venezuela's equipment "not work." 

"I'm not allowed to talk about it," he said. 

"They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off," the president said. "We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us."

The U.S. has conducted at least 35 strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean from Sept. 2 through Jan. 23. 

The strikes have killed at least 126 people, according to the Trump administration. 

The Trump administration's handling of survivors has come under intense scrutiny, with some critics accusing the U.S. of committing potential war crimes after a follow-up strike on Sept. 2 killed two survivors. Two men who survived a strike on Oct. 16 were detained by the U.S. Navy and repatriated to their countries of origin, prompting questions about the danger the Trump administration has claimed alleged drug traffickers pose to the U.S. 

At least three other strikes also left survivors, who have since been presumed dead.

Around the time of Maduro's capture, the U.S. had about 15,000 troops deployed through the region. Roughly a dozen Navy ships are in waters near the Caribbean Sea. 

U.S. destroyers began heading to the region in late August, a White House official confirmed to CBS News at the time. 

In a Jan. 13 letter, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked Mr. Trump to clarify the disposition of U.S. forces in Venezuela. 

"I respectfully request you provide Congress with an official correspondence confirming that Operation Absolute Resolve has ended and that U.S. military personnel are no longer involved in hostilities in Venezuela," Risch wrote. 

Rubio sent a response on Jan. 14 that said "there are currently no U.S. Armed Forces In Venezuela." 

"Should there be any new military operations that introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities, they will be undertaken consistent with the Constitution of the United States and we will transmit written notifications consistent with section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution," he said. 

The referenced section of the War Powers Act of 1973 says that in the absence of a declaration of war in which U.S. armed forces are introduced, the president shall notify Congress within 48 hours. The law requires the president to detail the circumstances necessitating the use of armed forces, the constitutional and legislative authority that justifies the action, and the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities. 

Rubio's testimony comes after the White House pressured a handful of Republicans to back off a Democratic push to limit further strikes against Venezuela earlier this month. 

After initially voting to advance a war powers resolution following the U.S. capture of Maduro and his wife, two Senate Republicans flipped their opposition to help kill the measure. 

Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana said they received assurances from Rubio on the administration's plans for troops in Venezuela and didn't see a need to continue moving the resolution forward. 

According to Hawley, Rubio confirmed the U.S. "has no ground troops currently in Venezuela" and that if the administration plans to put troops in Venezuela, "they would abide by the War Powers Act and they would come to Congress for congressional authorization." 

"The secretary told me directly that the administration will not put ground troops in Venezuela," Hawley told reporters on Jan. 14.