The View cohost reacted after Donald Trump held a press conference on Saturday outlining his plans for Venezuela. Earlier that day, Trump announced that the U.S. had carried out a “large-scale strike” and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife. During the press conference, Trump said the U.S. would help get Venezuela’s oil flowing again and suggested that America would “run” the country’s oil operations.
In an Instagram video posted afterward, Navarro criticized Trump for shifting his focus from drug trafficking allegations against Maduro’s regime to discussions about oil. She questioned why Trump was now talking about sending U.S. companies to fix Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, pay themselves back, and sell oil abroad.
Navarro also objected to Trump’s comments about U.S. officials overseeing Venezuela. She said Venezuelans do not want to become a U.S. protectorate and instead deserve to live in a free and independent country.
She pointed to the 2024 election, saying that opposition leader María Corina Machado and her coalition defeated Maduro at the polls. Navarro argued that Venezuela already has a legitimate government that should be put into power as soon as possible.
Despite her criticism, Navarro made clear that she supports Maduro’s removal. In an earlier video posted before Trump’s press conference, she said she was glad Maduro was out of power and hoped his downfall would send a warning to other authoritarian leaders in the region.
Navarro acknowledged concerns about the U.S. acting without congressional authorization and called the operation an act of war, but said she believed the situation would not escalate further. She said the main objective was to remove Maduro and that goal had been achieved.
She also rejected comparisons between U.S.-backed regime change in Venezuela and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Navarro said the key difference is that the United States still has functioning courts, elections, and a relatively free press, while Venezuela had endured years of repression under Maduro.
Trump’s actions have drawn criticism from both parties in Congress, including Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. At the same time, other Republicans, such as Senate leader John Thune and Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez, have voiced support for the move.
Navarro ended her remarks by urging hope for peace and freedom in Venezuela, while warning that any effort by the U.S. to run the country should be firmly rejected.
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