Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy has launched a scathing accusation against top officials in former President Donald Trump's administration, alleging they deliberately misled Congress about the nature of military actions in Venezuela. The Democrat condemned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a lack of transparency with both lawmakers and the American public.
A Briefing Under Scrutiny
During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, Murphy recounted a classified briefing held last month for senators. He stated that Hegseth and Rubio assured legislators the operation was strictly a counternarcotics mission aimed at disrupting drug flow into the United States. They explicitly denied it was about regime change, according to the senator.
Murphy's allegations are tied to a recent event involving Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. He connected the officials' statements to subsequent actions that suggested a broader objective.
"They Literally Lied to Our Face"
The senator did not mince words when describing the interaction. "I can certainly tell you that the message that they sent was that this wasn't about regime change," Murphy told CNN. "When they came to Congress — and they literally lied to our face — they said, 'This is just a counternarcotics operation.'"
He contrasted this with public comments from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who stated that any deployment of ground troops to Venezuela would require congressional approval. Murphy emphasized the administration's failure to schedule a follow-up briefing to explain what transpired and outline future plans.
A Pattern of Deception and Danger
Murphy broadened his criticism beyond the Venezuela incident, framing it as part of a dangerous historical pattern. While acknowledging the existence of "evil, brutal dictators all over the world," he argued this does not grant an American president the unilateral right to invade.
"Over and over again, we have seen these warmongering neocons, many of which have influence in this White House, cheerlead us into war under the guise of removing a very bad man," Murphy stated. He warned that such approaches ultimately "get a lot of Americans killed." His core charge remains a fundamental breach of trust: "They aren't being straight with the American people."
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the legislative and executive branches over war powers and transparency in foreign military engagements, with a senior Democrat now accusing former Trump cabinet members of direct falsehoods.
