Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner comments on the Trump administration putting economic and military pressure on Venezuela. “You’d think, as a member of the so-called ‘Gang of Eight,’ where we’re supposed to be briefed on anything, I would have the answer. I don’t. I do not know what this president’s goal vis-a-vis Venezuela is,” Warner said. “I think the Biden administration made a huge error when, a couple years back, Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly to get rid of Maduro, and they didn’t put enough pressure on getting him out. But that still begs the question of: what is President Trump’s theory of the case? Is it regime change?”

MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC: What is your reaction to them seizing that tanker? This is a major escalation. SEN. MARK WARNER, (D) VIRGINIA & INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR: Well, it shows if we can interdict the tanker, why can’t we interdict the boats carrying drugs as well. I’ve said repeatedly, the Maduro regime has been brutal to the Venezuelan people. And I think the Biden administration made a huge error when a couple years back the Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly to get rid of Maduro, and they didn’t put enough pressure on getting him out. But that still begs the question of, what is President Trump’s theory of the case? Is it regime change? We’ve got a mass of forces almost unprecedented in the region. And I think the president needs to come to Congress and the American people if his goal is to further increase pressure on Maduro and potentially launch forces. RADDATZ: And — but this is very different. This is economic pressure. And they’ve already sanctioned six additional ships. So, do you foresee a quarantine, a blockade. What — what are you expecting because of this latest escalation? WARNER: Well, you’d think, as a member of the so-called Gang of Eight where we’re supposed to be briefed on everything, I would have the answer to that. I don’t. I do not know what this president’s goal, vis-a-vis Venezuela is. Again, particularly since he makes the accusation that we’re trying to stop the narco drug traffickers. And the vast majority of the drugs come from Ecuador and Colombia. Venezuela may be a way-point, but I don’t think the president has made the case. RADDATZ: You heard him, the most recently, saying that land attacks could be pretty soon and he’s going to hit horrible people. So, what do you think that means? He also said it may be beyond Venezuela. WARNER: Well, constantly making these threats, whether it’s Venezuela, Columbia, elsewhere, we all know, the history of American intervention in Central American and South America, over the last 100 years, have not been a great story. And I feel many of these sailors, for example, are home ported in Norfolk and in my state. And I’m hearing from parents saying, is my son or daughter going to be in harm’s way. They ask legitimate questions as well in terms of the strikes against the drug boats. Are they even legal? And I think the president owes those parents and owes Congress and the American people an explanation of what his goal is. RADDATZ: There’s no question Maduro is a bad guy. You’ve said it yourself. Something has to be done about him. I suppose this is what The Wall Street Journal editorial board said, it hoped there would be more seizures of oil tankers. Mr. Maduro relies on oil export revenue to fund his regime and keep his military happy. Without this cash flow, panic may grow in the ranks. The seizure signals that Mr. Trump isn’t backing down on his effort to oust the dictator. This wouldn’t be a coop, but a liberation for Venezuelan democracy. So, besides you not knowing what President Trump wants to do, do you agree with this? WARNER: I agree that the Venezuelan people want Maduro gone. But the opposition — while the opposition leader just won recently the Nobel Prize, appropriately, I have real questions. If Maduro is pushed out, will there be still the Venezuelan military will take over? Has there been enough organization with the opposition to make a transition? And when you’ve got most of the other nation states in the region not supporting our action, where does this lead? Is this going to mean American boots on the ground in Venezuela? I don’t think the American people want that. But, obviously, he’s (ph) not — RADDATZ: Do you support regime change? Do you support getting rid of him? And, if so, how would you do it? WARNER: I don’t. I think Maduro is a bad guy. There’s plenty of other bad leaders around the world where we don’t have this level of massed forces. You know, I thought Donald Trump was going to end the endless wars and not make America the policeman for the world. If anything, it seems like, you know, in this case he’s trying to up the ante. In Ukraine, where I think there is a just alliance of democracies against Putin, he seems to be taking the opposite action. So, I’m not sure where he’s headed here. I do fear that boots on the ground in Venezuela could be a disaster.

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