Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg faced renewed scrutiny over the weekend after criticizing President Donald Trump’s operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, only for a past statement calling for Maduro’s removal to resurface, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.
Buttigieg, who served in the Biden administration, reacted publicly on Saturday to the Trump administration’s overnight operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture.
The operation, carried out in the early morning hours, concluded without any U.S. troop fatalities.
Maduro was subsequently indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.
President Trump shared video footage of the strikes involved in the operation, which targeted at least four sites around Caracas, Venezuela.
Officials said no U.S. forces were killed during the mission.
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Buttigieg argued that the operation followed what he described as a familiar political pattern.
“It’s an old and obvious pattern,” Buttigieg wrote Saturday. “An unpopular president – failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home – decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.”
“The American people don’t want to ‘run’ a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one,” he added.
It’s an old and obvious pattern. An unpopular president – failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home – decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.
The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this…
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 3, 2026
The remarks drew attention because they contrasted sharply with Buttigieg’s own prior statements about Venezuela.
Shortly after his comments circulated, social media users resurfaced a January 6, 2020, post in which Buttigieg explicitly supported the removal of Maduro following a disputed election that triggered a political crisis in Venezuela.
Whatever you say man pic.twitter.com/iwAolXpBDR
— ScienceRespecter (@InLuvWScience) January 3, 2026
“The illegitimate takeover of the Venezuelan National Assembly is further evidence that dictator Maduro will stop at nothing to consolidate his grip on power,” Buttigieg wrote at the time.
“I stand behind Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan people as they strive to reclaim their democracy and defend their rights.”
The illegitimate takeover of the Venezuelan National Assembly is further evidence that dictator Maduro will stop at nothing to consolidate his grip on power. I stand behind Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan people as they strive to reclaim their democracy and defend their rights.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 6, 2020
That post remains publicly available.
In 2020, opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela after international observers raised concerns about the legitimacy of Maduro’s election.
The situation led to heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with Maduro accusing the Trump administration of attempting to orchestrate a coup.
Buttigieg’s criticism of Trump’s recent action also contrasted with policies pursued under the Biden administration. During Biden’s term, the U.S. government offered a $25 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
However, no attempt was made to apprehend Maduro during those four years.
Trump’s operation ultimately succeeded in capturing Maduro and transferring him to U.S. custody, where federal prosecutors moved forward with the long-standing charges.
Administration officials said the mission was limited in scope and focused specifically on Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who also faces federal charges.
As Buttigieg’s earlier comments circulated online, users on X responded by pointing out what they viewed as a reversal in his public position.
The contrast between his 2020 call to support Venezuelan opposition leaders and his 2026 criticism of Trump’s action quickly became a focal point of debate across social media platforms.
Whatever you say man pic.twitter.com/iwAolXpBDR
— ScienceRespecter (@InLuvWScience) January 3, 2026
This you? pic.twitter.com/A6AF1QBEmZ
— Anna Khait (@Annakhait) January 4, 2026
Oh honey…this was not a war…3 hours and they were back for an early breakfast
— MuffinMight❤️ (@MuffinMigh8622) January 3, 2026
— FM Johnston (@fm_johnston) January 5, 2026
Neither Buttigieg nor his representatives issued additional comment after the older post resurfaced. The Trump administration has not responded directly to Buttigieg’s remarks, instead continuing to emphasize that the mission achieved its objective without American casualties.
The episode underscored ongoing divisions among Democratic figures over Venezuela policy, particularly as past statements continue to resurface in the wake of Trump’s decision to act where previous administrations did not.
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