Susie Wiles Told Vanity Fair That Military Action in Venezuela Requires Congressional Approval

The news Saturday that—per President Donald Trump—the US had enacted a “large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader" reminded many that in November, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that an ongoing campaign against Venezuela and its president, Nicolás Maduro, was focused on blowing up boats as opposed to an incursion on the country's soil.

Speaking with VF's Chris Whipple in late 2025, Susie Wiles said that Trump's Venezuela strategy was to “keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle. And people way smarter than me on that say that he will." At the time of Whipple's article, at least 87 people had been killed in a series of deadly strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth throughout the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific.

“The president believes in harsh penalties for drug dealers, as he’s said many, many times," Wiles said. "These are not fishing boats, as some would like to allege.”

“We’re very sure we know who we’re blowing up,” she said. “One of the great untold stories of the US government is the talents of the CIA. And there may be an interest in going inside territorial waters, which we have permission [to do] because they’re skirting the coastline to avoid getting [caught].”

When Whipple questioned Wiles on the fatalities involved in the strikes, saying “Drug smuggling is not a death penalty offense, even if the president wishes it were,” Wiles agreed.

“No, it’s not. I’m not saying that it is. I’m saying that this is a war on drugs. [It’s] unlike another one that we’ve seen. But that’s what this is.”

In response, Whipple said “Obviously it’s a war declared only by the president and without any congressional approval."

“Don’t need it yet,” Wiles replied. When asked at an October press conference why he had yet to request a declaration of war from Congress, he responded "I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. Okay?”

Wiles admitted then that an attack on Venezuelan mainland would require congressional approval. “If he were to authorize some activity on land, then it’s war, then [we’d need] Congress. But Marco [Rubio] and JD [Vance], to some extent, are up on the Hill every day, briefing," she said.

When asked in October about the administration's legal authority to engage in the boat strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested it wasn't his place to respond. “Obviously, that’s a DOD [Department of Defense] operation. So I’m not in any way disavowing it. I agree with it 100 percent. I think we’re on very strong, firm footing, but I don’t want to be giving legal answers on behalf of the White House or the Department of War.”

Despite Trump's 2025 remarks regarding the boat strikes and other action against Venezuela, Wiles maintained last year that the president was not eager to engage in war. “I think the country is beginning to see that he’s proud to be an agent of peace," she said then. “I think that surprises people. Doesn’t surprise me, but it doesn’t fit with the Donald Trump people think they know.”