1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

The United States has now crossed a line that should concern members of both parties and every citizen who cares about constitutional government, international law, and long-term national security. U.S. military action in Venezuela, including the seizure of its sitting president, represents an extraordinary escalation that demands immediate congressional scrutiny and restraint. This is not a partisan issue. Seizing a foreign head of state without clear congressional authorization or an imminent self-defense justification raises serious legal and constitutional questions. If Congress allows the executive branch—of any party—to unilaterally launch actions of this magnitude, it abdicates its most fundamental responsibility. War powers cannot depend on who holds the White House. Strategically, this course is reckless. Venezuela is part of a fragile region already strained by migration pressures, economic instability, and geopolitical competition. Military escalation risks retaliation, proxy involvement, civilian suffering, and an open-ended commitment with no clear objectives or exit strategy. History shows that once these conflicts begin, the costs grow far beyond what was promised—paid not by political leaders, but by service members, families, and taxpayers. The economic consequences are equally real. Military action destabilizes energy markets, drives inflationary pressure, and diverts resources from urgent domestic needs. At a time when Americans across the political spectrum are struggling with healthcare costs, housing, and affordability, expanding another foreign conflict is indefensible. Equally concerning is the normalization of expansionist and coercive rhetoric toward other sovereign nations, including references to Greenland, Mexico, and beyond. Threats of conquest and coercion belong to authoritarian regimes, not a constitutional democracy. This language undermines alliances, emboldens adversaries, and weakens the rules-based international order that has served U.S. security interests for decades. This moment requires Congress to act as a co-equal branch, not a bystander. I am calling on you—regardless of party—to demand transparency, insist on legal justification, reassert congressional war powers, and oppose further military escalation. Silence or delay now sets a precedent that will haunt future administrations of both parties. This is bigger than politics. It is about restraint, accountability, and whether the United States still governs itself by law rather than impulse. Act accordingly.