Former President Donald Trump received a rapturous welcome from congressional Republicans on Tuesday as he lauded a recent military operation in Venezuela that toppled its leader, Nicolás Maduro. Speaking at the House Republican party's annual retreat in Washington DC, Trump framed the assault as a "brilliant" and "incredible" feat, despite facing accusations from some former allies that he had abandoned his "America First" foreign policy principles.
A Warm Reception for Military Action
In a near 90-minute speech at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—recently renamed the "Trump-Kennedy Center" by his appointees—Trump detailed the operation. He celebrated the fact that no US special forces personnel were killed, while acknowledging casualties among Maduro's guards, who he said were "mostly Cubans." The event, held on 6 January 2026, marked the fifth anniversary of the US Capitol attack, a detail Trump referenced during his wide-ranging remarks.
"It was an amazing military feat that took place," Trump declared, prompting cheers and sustained applause from the audience. He emphasised the complexity of the mission, involving 152 airplanes and significant ground forces. The president contrasted the success with the perceived ingratitude of Democratic leaders, complaining that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and others had failed to thank him for removing a "repressive dictator."
Mocking Maduro and Rallying the Base
Trump took aim at the deposed Venezuelan leader's character and public demeanour. He labelled Maduro a "violent guy" who had "killed millions" and referenced a torture chamber in Caracas. In a moment that drew laughter from the Republican lawmakers, Trump mocked Maduro's habit of dancing publicly to a techno remix of his "no war, yes peace" mantra as US forces gathered in the region in late 2025.
"He gets up there and he tries to imitate my dance a little bit," Trump said, alluding to his own famous rallies where he dances to YMCA. Reports suggest this display of indifference from Maduro helped convince some in Trump's circle that he was not taking their threats seriously. Trump also made unsupported claims that protesters with "Free Maduro" signs were paid by the "radical left."
Midterm Warnings and Election Claims
The speech served as a rallying cry for the crucial November midterm elections. Trump issued a stark warning to his party: Republicans must win, or he faces a historic third impeachment. "You gotta win the midterms 'cos, if we don't win the midterms, it's just gonna be – I mean, they'll find a reason to impeach me," he stated.
He urged unity on issues from gender politics to healthcare and revisited his false claims of a rigged 2020 election, telling Republicans to insist on voter ID and criticise mail-in voting. In a digressive moment, he even mused about the possibility of unconstitutionally seeking a third term, suggesting a "constitutional movement" might allow it.
Trump also used the platform to tout his cognitive abilities, claiming at 79 years old to have passed tests that Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom would fail. The speech concluded with him returning to the theme of dancing, performing an exaggerated imitation of a transgender weightlifter while discussing his administration's sports policies, and pondering, "Could you imagine FDR dancing?"
The event underscored Trump's enduring grip on the Republican base, with little sign that the controversial Venezuela intervention had fractured his support within the party. His agenda, from election reform to foreign policy, now hinges on the outcome of the upcoming midterms.
