Rand Paul Accuses Lindsey Graham of Driving Trump to Venezuelan Regime-Change Operation

Following the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has accused his colleague Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) of steering President Donald Trump toward a decision to deploy U.S. special operations forces into Venezuela to seize the president.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Paul stated that Graham played a central role in convincing Trump to pursue the operation, which he described as running counter to the president’s long-standing opposition to regime-change wars and nation-building abroad. “This is Lindsey Graham,” Paul said. “Lindsey Graham has gotten to the president.”

Paul cited Trump’s repeated warnings about regime change efforts often ending in failure, noting he had reviewed “a clip — there’s like 20 clips —” of the president emphasizing his opposition to such initiatives and how regime changes historically go wrong. “Somehow, they’ve convinced him it’s different if it’s in our hemisphere,” Paul added.

The senator expressed concern about growing influence from more hawkish Republicans, particularly Graham, on Trump’s approach to Venezuela and broader foreign policy decisions.

Graham has consistently advocated for Maduro’s removal. Last month, he voiced frustration after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed senators during a classified briefing that regime change in Venezuela was not under consideration at the time. “I want to know what’s going to happen next,” Graham said following that briefing. “Is it the policy to take Maduro down? It should be, if it’s not. If he goes, what’s going to happen next? I’d like a better answer as to what happens when Maduro goes.”

After Maduro was captured over the weekend, Graham celebrated the development and suggested broader implications for communist regimes in the region, stating: “As I have often said, it is in America’s national security interest to deal with the drug caliphate in our backyard, the centerpiece of which is Venezuela. With Maduro’s capture, the drug caliphate is moving toward collapse.” Graham’s office did not comment on the matter.