Graham Says Venezuela Can Transition Post-Maduro Without US Troops

‘If they don’t play ball with us, they’ll pay a heavy price,' Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said of the South American nation’s interim leadership.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 3, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Jan. 6 that U.S. troops weren’t necessary for Venezuela to undergo a successful transition of power.

Following the Jan. 3 raid to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would run Venezuela until there can be a proper transition of power. His comments have prompted questions from lawmakers and journalists about how the United States would oversee the South American country in the interim.