19May
Washington, DC – This is exactly what we warned about. For months, veteran and military family members of Common Defense have been sounding the alarm that illegal military actions in the Caribbean were laying the groundwork for regime change in Venezuela. In the early hours of January 3, 2026, that escalation became reality. Veterans know how this goes: what begins as a so-called limited strike turns into another Forever War. That is precisely why the power to authorize war belongs to Congress, not the President.
This moment marks a line crossed. To abduct a leader of a sovereign nation under the cover of night, without congressional approval and with flimsy justification, is unacceptable and outrageous. Common Defense will oppose this unlawful escalation with everything we have, in Congress, the courts, and on the streets – because we’ve borne the costs of silence when leaders choose war without accountability.
Common Defense Executive Director and US Army Veteran Jose Vasquez said the following:
“We swore an oath to the Constitution, not to reckless wars of regime change. Forcibly deposing a foreign leader and launching strikes without Congress is unconstitutional, destabilizes the region, and puts U.S. troops directly in harm’s way. Trump’s rogue actions in Venezuela are unconstitutional and a clear distraction from his domestic failures. This war of choice will not lower costs for American families or fix a gutted VA. It will only risk more lives. Veterans are speaking out now because we know the price of silence, and we refuse to let Trump drag us into another catastrophic Forever War.”
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Common Defense Civic Engagement is the nation’s largest grassroots organization of veterans and military families. Founded in 2016, we organize to defend the Constitution, oppose Forever Wars, and fight for a democracy where liberty and justice truly exist for all.