Zinke supports Trump action in Venezuela but sees no basis for action in Greenland

Amna Nawaz:

Well, while the war powers resolution to limit further action in Venezuela advanced in the Senate today, its future in the House is less certain.

For a Republican perspective, I spoke earlier to Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke.

Congressman Zinke, welcome back to the "NewsHour." Thank you for joining us.

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT):

My pleasure.

Amna Nawaz:

A lot of activity on Capitol Hill today.

I want to ask you first not about what happened in the House, but what we saw in the Senate, where some of your Republican colleagues broke ranks, joined the Democrats and voted to advance the war powers resolution that would limit the president's ability to take further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval.

How do you look at that? Was that the right move, and would you support a similar move in the House?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, there's always been a tension between Article I, Congress, and Article II, the president.

In this case, I will stand with the Constitution, Article I. The president has that authority. And in Venezuela, it's important to realize that, if you look at Panama, which was justified under three conditions -- one is that Venezuela, in this case, Maduro, was a threat to the United States because he was a drug trafficker; 52 pages of indictment would say he was.

And, secondly, he wasn't a legitimate leader, meaning the election was fraudulent. In Panama, we also had Panama Canal, but, going forward, the president had the authority to go ahead and remove Maduro. So I don't think there's any question of the reality or Constitution.

I think the big question in Venezuela is, what next? When you exercise the Monroe Doctrine, it's a two-way street. It comes with a responsibility to make sure that now, since Maduro has been removed, that Venezuela -- the conditions are set where Venezuela can prosper.

Amna Nawaz:

I want to ask you more about what's next in Venezuela, but just to follow up in terms of congressional authority here, the president's also threatened unilateral action in other countries, in Colombia, Mexico, Iran, and Greenland.

When, in your view, does he require congressional approval to take that action?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, yes, good question.

And I think it's this. Number one, with the president, he never takes anything off the table. That's President Donald J. Trump. But, on Greenland, for instance, those conditions that would require a congressional approval are there, because, in the case of Venezuela, you had a leader that was a narcotrafficker, indicted. That is not the case in Greenland.

Secondly, Greenland produces -- is no threat to us. And, lastly, they have a duly elected authority in Greenland. So I think military action in case of Greenland would require a congressional approval by law and by Constitution.

Amna Nawaz:

So, only in Greenland, not with the other countries I named there; is that correct?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, in -- let's say in Colombia, if Colombia continues their operations of trafficking drugs.

Now, their leader is duly elected. So that would not be the case. But the president also has the responsibility constitutionally to make sure we protect this country. Drugs coming in this country kill more people than, say, a missile does. So if the president views that there's a threat, and that threat is real, in the case of drugs, then I think it's probably on the table.

But, again, what I appreciate is taking action, but action within the Constitution. I think that's important.

Amna Nawaz:

One of the questions we have heard a lot is, if this was really about the drugs, and Maduro was a narcotrafficker, as you have called him as well, then why leave in place his vice president, who is now acting as president, who was part of this entire regime? What kind of message does that send?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, what it tells the message is, listen and make sure you take guidance. When the president says we're in control, I can tell you the present administration in Venezuela doesn't have a lot of latitude to do much other than follow the international law, and basically do as they're told to make sure that Venezuela prospers.

In the case of oil, it's not about oil. Remember, Venezuela had the largest population of Hezbollah and Hamas outside of the Middle East. And the main influencers in Venezuela were Cubans, not because the Cubans wanted to be there, but because Cuba provided a security force around Maduro because he doesn't have the support of the population itself.

So, in the case of Venezuela, what I would prefer is, we come across as a liberator, rather than a conqueror, and we provide the necessary means for Venezuela to have free and fair elections and to prosper. The oil is being -- probably will go to a third country, as far as a holding pattern, and then that oil will be distributed in the best interest of the Venezuelan people, which will be helpful.

Amna Nawaz:

We have also now seen President Trump say he expects U.S. oversight of Venezuela, both the government and running the country's oil supplies, to last for years.

In your opinion, does that send the message that we're liberators and not conquerors?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

I have a lot of confidence actually in Venezuela to put a free and fair election together. Some of the problems are, the opposition is not unified.

So if you're going to have a free and fair election, you want to make sure there's legitimate opposition. And most the opposition, quite frankly, is not in country because they have been forced to leave under the Maduro regime. So I'm confident, number one, we will see a plan from the administration.

It's hard to dictate a plan when this operation was secret, as it was required to be. I think, going forward, what I'd like to see is a detailed plan going forward, what are the milestones that must be reached, and to make sure that Venezuela is free and fair and the foreign influence is removed, especially from our adversaries,.

Amna Nawaz:

If I may, Congressman, I think the opposition in Venezuela would argue that they are in fact unified. They won about 70 percent of the vote in that 2024 election. So how quickly would you like to see some kind of democratic transition in that country?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, I would like to see a plan that lays out between tomorrow and the end of the year to include free and fair elections.

And I think Secretary Rubio and his team are looking at that. And, look, the sooner the better. The sooner we have a transition towards free and fair elections and represent the people and make sure their resources go to help Venezuela. The resources are being siphoned off, well below market.

And the idea is to make sure those resources go -- sold on the open market at fair price and then go into a holding account and then distributed to make sure that Venezuela's people benefit, and not just the regime. But to your earlier point about the regime in place, you're right. They're not our first choice. They're hardly reputable. And I don't trust them. I don't think we should as a nation either.

But, right now, they have very little latitude to go outside what America is demanding, is that, look, is that this is it. You cannot transport. You cannot be a narcotrafficker, and you need to begin a process for transition for elections.

Amna Nawaz:

Congressman, before I let you go, I just want to ask you briefly about your vote today, which was against the extension of those Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies that expired at the end of last year. I believe some 10,000 Montanans qualified for those last year.

Just briefly, what's your message to them about what your plan is to help them afford their health care?

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Well, how about not spending more money on a system that's broke? I think the goal of any health care, especially in the United States, is what? Access, affordability and quality care. And Obamacare didn't deliver that.

So let's figure out how to reduce costs, but how to have better care. And COVID extensions -- COVID is over. Now, I think everyone recognizes the health care costs are too much and too great. But why don't we look at the insurance companies? Why don't we look at the pharmaceuticals, which the president is doing?

And the insurance companies are making billions of dollars, billions of dollars. Who has control of that? So I think we need to go back and start from the beginning and say, this is what we want. We want quality care. We want to make sure that access to care and affordability and make sure rural hospitals in Montana and the $50 billion to shore up rural hospitals in Montana is important.

So I'm hoping both sides recognize that health care is a problem. The Obamacare -- there's a lot of good in Obamacare, especially preexisting conditions. But there are a lot of things that didn't work, especially giving the insurance companies and pharmaceuticals the edge.

Amna Nawaz:

All right, that's Congressman Ryan Zinke, Republican from Montana, joining us tonight.

Congressman, thank you. It's good to speak with you.

Rep. Ryan Zinke:

Always a pleasure.