House Republicans will hear directly from President Donald Trump Tuesday for the first time since the administration’s extraordinary capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
A wider group of lawmakers who want answers on the operation will have to wait till Wednesday, when all House and Senate members are expected to get briefed by administration officials. So far, both Democrats and Republicans are grumbling about the lack of details from the White House on what’s next for Venezuela.
— Where things stand: Speaker Mike Johnson emerged from a leadership briefing Monday night and said he does not believe the U.S. will send troops to Venezuela. And he played down concerns that Trump and his deputies reneged on pledges not to pursue regime change in Venezuela.
“This is not a regime change,” Johnson said. “This is a demand for change of behavior by a regime.”
But other Republicans struck a more skeptical note. “I think what the president was trying to communicate is hopefully facilitating a peaceful transition of power,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who was not at the briefing. “I don’t know how you do that without boots on the ground. And I don’t support boots on the ground.”
The Senate is on track to take up a bipartisan war powers resolution Thursday aimed at constraining future Venezuela strikes. But don’t expect this attempt to succeed where prior ones have failed.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who entertained supporting past resolutions, said he would not vote for the measure “at this time.”
— Trump’s turn to talk: The president’s address to House Republicans Tuesday morning during their closed-door retreat at the Kennedy Center is expected to focus on touting GOP wins and rallying Republicans ahead of the midterms — not Venezuela.
GOP leaders plan to discuss their 2026 legislative agenda with the rank-and-file. That includes whether Republicans will tackle another reconciliation bill and how to deal with health care and affordability issues.
House Freedom Caucus members sent Johnson a letter Monday outlining policies they want to see accomplished in 2026, including reducing discretionary spending, codifying Trump’s border actions and preventing the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital currency.
— What Democrats are doing: Democrats are mulling options to force Venezuela-related votes, including during Tuesday’s Rules Committee hearing. Democrats expect Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) to reintroduce their own war powers resolution. And they are looking to keep the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in the spotlight on the five-year anniversary.
What else we’re watching:
— Jan. 6 anniversary split screen: Johnson broke his silence Monday on the long-running saga of the missing plaque honoring the police who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack. His office made clear the plaque now sitting in storage won’t be hung on Johnson’s watch. The speaker’s comments come as House Democrats push to keep the attack in the public eye five years later. They are teeing up a Tuesday 10 a.m. presentation where they’re set to hear from former law enforcement officials, state officials, former members of the Democratic-led select panel and more.
— Appropriations moves: House and Senate GOP leaders are hoping to move a second funding package before the end-of-the-month shutdown deadline, according to four people granted anonymity to discuss the private strategy. That would be in addition to the three-bill package of Commerce-Justice- Science, Energy-Water and Interior-Environment, which the House will vote on this week and the Senate could take up as early as next week.
Meredith Lee Hill and Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
