Rep. Jim Jordan Defends Trump’s Venezuela Stance, Calls Maduro Narcoterrorist

On Sunday, Rep. Jim Jordan defended President Donald Trump’s posture toward Venezuela and the arrest of its president, Nicolas Maduro, stating that the administration’s willingness to use U.S. power in the region aligns with “America First” and aims to protect Americans from drugs and hostile foreign influence.

In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Jordan described Maduro as the “head of a narcoterrorist criminal operation” who is “cozying up to Iran and China.” He asserted that bringing such figures to justice serves American interests.

Show host Dana Bash challenged Jordan on Trump’s remarks about U.S. involvement in rebuilding Venezuela, including oil infrastructure, arguing it could conflict with promises to focus spending at home. Jordan responded that Trump’s comments reflect a push for accountability over assets taken from American companies. “When that country took assets that belonged to American companies, that’s wrong,” he said. “They took property from American companies. That makes sense there’s going to be some kind of compensation, some kind of reckoning for that.”

Jordan also endorsed the administration’s approach to prosecuting Maduro within U.S. courts, stating he is comfortable with the case proceeding through American legal channels and calling it “the best system in history, the best on the planet.”

When pressed on consistency regarding drug policy, Jordan defended Trump’s authority to issue pardons, noting the power belongs exclusively to the president and can be used “how they darn well want.” He cited Trump’s belief that the prior administration treated a former Honduran leader unfairly. Jordan also contrasted President Trump with former President Joe Biden, criticizing Biden’s handling of a Chinese spy balloon incident while claiming Trump demonstrates strength and decisive action.