The president has been criticized by many Democrats, and some Republicans, for exceeding his authority. Some have claimed Trump abused his power with the unprecedented action against Maduro. Bondi challenged those assertions and insisted Trump was well within his rights during an interview on Hannity on Fox News on Monday night.
“This was well within the president’s Article II powers,” Bondi said. “It was a law enforcement function to arrest indicted individuals in Venezuela. Our military pulled off a flawless, flawless execution of that. It was amazing. America and the Western Hemisphere is safer tonight.”
Bondi’s comments echoed those of Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday when he appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press.
“This was not an action that required congressional approval,” Rubio told NBC’s Kirstin Welker. “In fact, it couldn’t require congressional approval because this was not an invasion. This is not an extended military operation.”
“We will seek congressional approval for actions that require congressional approval,” Rubio added. “Otherwise, they’ll get congressional notification.”
Bondi, meanwhile, explained to Sean Hannity the crimes of which Maduro and his wife were accused. She emphasized the connection to Venezuela’s narco-terrorism and links to dangerous organizations such as Tren de Aragua and the cartels.
“Maduro and his wife are charged with … directing the murders, kidnapping, assaults of anyone who stood in their way and also, anyone who tried to stop their drug business,” Bondi said. “They are also charged with bringing tons of drugs into this country. Nicolas Maduro, is charged with over hundreds and hundreds, of tons of cocaine, flowing into our country. And, he’s charged with working with not only TdA [Tren de Aragua] but also Sinaloa, all the cartels in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela.”
Bondi praised Trump for his decision to get Maduro, claiming that his decisive action saved “countless” American lives.
“We know that this monster released countless defendants, prisons, insane asylums into our country,” Bondi said. “It’s not just about drugs. The president saved thousands, countless lives tonight, countless lives, but he also protected Americans from the TdA members who Maduro let into our country … opened his jails, opened the insane asylums, to come into our country.”
SEVEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST MADURO AND HIS WIFE
She also mentioned the murders of American women killed by members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. She said the apprehension of Maduro is a step in the process of eliminating the gang’s criminal influence in the U.S. and preventing similar kinds of tragic murders.
“Look at Laken Riley, look at Claretha Daniels, look at Jocelyn Nungaray, all of them, killed by TDA members. It’s horrific, and it is going to stop,” Bondi said. “Donald Trump said he will make America safe again, and he stood by his words. Thanks to the help of Secretary Rubio, our intelligence community, and our great men and women in the military.”
“And those two tonight [Maduro and his wife] are in the Southern District of New York, and Jay Clayton is prosecuting them,” Bondi said.
