Jack Reed: “Obviously we wanted her there, and it was not just one senator but a broad range, a bipartisan range wanted her opinion.”

President Trump’s effort to turn the U.S. military into an investor in Venezuelan oil is a blatant abuse of power and taxpayer dollars.

His administration removed Nicolás Maduro from power, threw its weight behind the unelected leadership that replaced Maduro, and is now attempting to use U.S. military assets and taxpayer-backed financing to boost a private oil venture.

It is far past time for President Trump to recognize the lasting harm that Pete Hegseth is inflicting on the Department of Defense.

President Trump has been explicit about his desire to extract Venezuela's oil," Reed said in a statement.