"Act of War:" Mamdani Attacks Trump Over Maduro Arrest

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sharply condemned the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, calling the operation an “act of war” and a violation of US and international law, even as federal officials moved to bring the couple to New York to face criminal charges.

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that US forces had detained Maduro in what the White House described as a large-scale military operation following months of maritime actions targeting drug trafficking networks allegedly linked to the Venezuelan regime. The operation culminated in Maduro and his wife being flown out of Venezuela under US custody.

Speaking at a news conference, Mamdani said he had been briefed on the plan in advance and personally contacted Trump to register his opposition.

“I called the president and spoke with him directly to make clear my opposition to this act,” Mamdani said. “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. I oppose regime change as a matter of principle and believe this decision sets a dangerous precedent.”

Mamdani later reiterated his position in a public statement, arguing that the operation would have direct consequences for New Yorkers, particularly the city’s large Venezuelan immigrant community.

“My focus is the safety of New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home,” he said, adding that his administration would monitor the situation and issue guidance as needed.

The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as an imperialist seizure aimed at looting the country’s oil and mineral resources, accusing Washington of attempting to impose regime change through force. US officials rejected the claim, framing the capture as a law enforcement and national security action tied to longstanding indictments against Maduro.

Mamdani’s comments quickly drew fierce criticism from Republican officials and Trump allies. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused the mayor of siding with a “drug trafficker and ally of Iran and Hezbollah” over American interests, writing that he “pities the people of New York” for electing him.

Conservative figures also pointed to what they described as ideological overlap between Mamdani’s democratic socialist platform and Maduro’s Bolivarian system, which has combined state control of industry with authoritarian rule and economic collapse. Mamdani has campaigned on higher taxes on the wealthy, expanded public services, and municipally run housing and transit, though he has rejected comparisons to Venezuela’s system.

The controversy is further sharpened by Mamdani’s past statements regarding Israel. The mayor has previously said he would seek to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over an International Criminal Court warrant, a position widely criticized as legally unworkable. US law does not recognize ICC jurisdiction, and federal statutes prohibit local authorities from detaining foreign heads of state.

Legal experts note that Mamdani has no authority over federal prosecutions or foreign detainees, including Maduro, whose case would be handled entirely by the Justice Department. Nevertheless, his vocal opposition places him at odds with both the White House and national security agencies at the outset of his term.

The Democratic Socialists of America, with which Mamdani is affiliated, issued a statement condemning the US operation as an “illegal war” and demanding Maduro’s release, a full withdrawal of US forces from the region, and an end to sanctions on Venezuela. The statement called for a foreign policy centered on “peace, multilateralism, and respect for national sovereignty.”

Trump, for his part, dismissed criticism of the operation, saying the US was enforcing the law against a regime that had fueled narcotics trafficking and regional instability. Administration officials have indicated that additional details about the charges against Maduro will be released once he appears in federal court.

As Maduro’s transfer to New York proceeds, Mamdani’s response has already signaled a confrontational posture toward federal foreign policy decisions, setting up an early and highly visible clash between City Hall and Washington over the limits of mayoral authority, ideology, and America’s role abroad.