PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (January 3rd, 2026)
Libertarian Party of Iowa Demands Congressional Vote on Venezuela Military Action
Des Moines, IA – Before a single Iowa National Guard member is sent to Venezuela, Congress must debate and vote. That’s not a political position—it’s the Constitution.
The Libertarian Party of Iowa opposes U.S. military force in Venezuela without explicit congressional authorization. This has nothing to do with supporting or opposing Nicolás Maduro. The focus is on protecting Iowa families and ensuring constitutional limits on presidential war powers are respected.
The Pattern Iowans Recognize
Administration officials are calling this a narrow operation. But President Trump has already said the U.S. will “run the country” until a transition is complete. Iowans have seen this before:
- Iraq was supposed to be quick
- Afghanistan was supposed to be limited
Both turned into decades-long nation-building projects that cost Iowan lives. Many voters supported President Trump because they were tired of endless wars; wars that have cost hundreds of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. They do not want another one—especially in our own hemisphere.
“Iowa has watched limited missions turn into 20-year wars before,” said Jules Cutler, chair of the Libertarian Party of Iowa. “Our Guard members have sacrificed enough in undeclared conflicts. If this operation expands, Congress owes Iowa families an open debate and a recorded vote—before, not after, our troops are committed.”
Drug Trafficking and the Limits of Military Action
The administration has cited drug trafficking charges against Venezuelan officials as justification for military action. Iowans understand the devastation fentanyl and other drugs have caused in our communities.
But if the U.S. government has evidence of criminal activity, the proper response is indictments, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation—not military raids and regime change. Federal prosecutors have already brought charges. That’s the lawful process.
Using military force to execute what should be a criminal justice operation sets a dangerous precedent: any president could justify military action anywhere by citing drug charges. That’s not how a constitutional republic operates. It’s not what Iowa families signed up for when their loved ones joined the U.S. military—to be the world’s police force.
The Monroe Doctrine, China, and Constitutional Limits
President Trump has invoked the Monroe Doctrine to justify this operation. Iowans understand the historical significance: the United States has legitimate security interests in the Western Hemisphere and a responsibility to counter foreign powers seeking to dominate our neighbors.
Iowans are deeply concerned about China’s expanding influence in the hemisphere—and they should be. From farmland purchases across the country and here in Iowa, to port control in Latin America, surveillance technology, and economic leverage over struggling nations, Beijing is pursuing a long-term strategy that threatens U.S. security and sovereignty.
The Libertarian Party of Iowa shares these concerns. But the Monroe Doctrine was a warning against foreign colonial powers—not a blank check for U.S. presidents to occupy and govern other countries without congressional authorization. If the threat is serious enough to justify military action, it’s serious enough for Congress to debate openly and vote on the record.
Congress should:
- Hold hearings on Chinese influence operations in Latin America.
- Debate specific security threats and appropriate responses.
- Vote on any military deployments or commitments.
- Authorize targeted, lawful actions with clear objectives and timelines.
What Congress cannot do—and what Iowans should not accept—is allow presidents to invoke the Monroe Doctrine as justification to start wars and occupy countries without congressional authorization. A strong response to China requires constitutional authority, regional partnerships, and strategic clarity—not another open-ended military commitment that drains American resources and credibility.
What Iowans Should Demand
The Libertarian Party of Iowa calls on the Iowa Legislature to:
- Pass a Defend the Guard Act to ensure no Iowa National Guard unit can be deployed into foreign combat without a formal declaration of war or explicit congressional authorization
The Libertarian Party of Iowa calls on Iowa’s congressional delegation to:
- Publicly state whether they support or oppose the Venezuela operation and force a recorded vote in Congress on any continued use of U.S. military force.
- Hold hearings on Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere and authorize any necessary defensive actions through proper constitutional channels.
- Prioritize diplomacy, law enforcement cooperation, and regional partnerships over unilateral military action and open-ended nation-building commitments.
Our Position
- Maduro was not a champion of freedom—but the United States cannot and should not attempt to govern Venezuela.
- Drug trafficking and the violence that comes with it, are serious crimes that should be prosecuted through law enforcement and extradition, not military regime change.
- Chinese influence in the hemisphere is a legitimate security concern that requires congressional debate and authorization, not presidential unilateralism.
- No president, of any party, should have the power to start or expand wars without Congress voting.
- Iowa National Guard members should never be placed in combat because constitutional safeguards were ignored.
- Iowans can support strong hemispheric security, aggressive prosecution of violent criminals, and pushback against Chinese expansion—while still demanding that their government follow the Constitution.
The Libertarian Party of Iowa stands with Iowans who believe in peace, accountability, fiscal responsibility, and a foreign policy that puts the Constitution first.
The Libertarian Party of Iowa is committed to America’s heritage of freedom: individual liberty and personal responsibility, a free-market economy of abundance and prosperity, a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade.
For media inquiries or additional information, please contact:
Libertarian Party of Iowa
Email: info@lpia.org
Phone: (515) 423-0093
