1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

​I am writing to express my grave concern and absolute opposition to the recent unilateral military operation in Venezuela to remove Nicolás Maduro. ​Regardless of one’s view of the Venezuelan government, the use of approximately 150 aircraft and ground forces to dismantle another nation’s defenses and seize its head of state—without a declaration of war or Congressional authorization—is a flagrant violation of the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. ​By bypassing the legislative branch, the Executive has treated Congress as ornamental rather than a co-equal branch of government. This set of actions establishes a dangerous precedent: if the President can unilaterally redefine an act of war as a "law enforcement mission" to avoid oversight, there are no longer any meaningful restraints on presidential power. ​This erosion of constitutional checks and balances undermines our republic and our international credibility. I urge you to fulfill your sworn duty to protect the Constitution by: ​Formally condemning this unauthorized use of military force. ​Demanding a full public accounting of the legal justifications and the decision-making process behind this operation. ​Reasserting Congressional authority over war powers to ensure such unilateral actions do not happen again. ​The power to commit the United States to conflict belongs to the people through their representatives, not to a single individual. I look forward to hearing how you plan to address this executive overreach.