‘Disastrous Outcomes Every Time US Topples A Govt’: Intel Chief Tulsi Gabbard On Venezuela

Last Updated:January 05, 2026, 16:46 IST

Gabbard calls for diplomacy with Russia to avoid escalation in Venezuela.

Tulsi Gabbard cautions President Trump against military action in Venezuela, urging diplomacy instead. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

US Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has urged Washington to pursue diplomacy over military force in Venezuela, warning that US-led efforts to topple governments have repeatedly produced “disastrous" outcomes for civilians.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Gabbard said the United States should work with countries such as Russia, which she said wield significant influence over Venezuela, to help broker a peaceful resolution.

“We should use our leadership in the world to try to broker a diplomatic solution, working with countries like Russia that have great influence over Venezuela, so that there is a peaceful outcome," Gabbard said. “As a soldier, I’ve seen firsthand the high cost of war."

Gabbard, who served with the Hawaii Army Guard and was deployed to Iraq in 2004–05, warned that military escalation would only worsen suffering for Venezuelans. “Pushing for civil war or the use of military force will only end up with more suffering and death and disaster for the Venezuelan people," she said.

She added that past US interventions offer a grim lesson. “Every time the United States goes into another country and topples a dictator or a government, the outcome has been disastrous for the people in those countries," Gabbard said.

Her remarks come amid heightened global tensions following the US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his removal from the country. President Donald Trump has since said the United States will effectively “run" Venezuela during a transitional period, while openly stating Washington needs access to the country’s oil resources.

Russia sharply criticised the US action. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Washington’s true objective was seizing Venezuela’s oil and other fossil fuels, adding that Trump “makes no secret of that."

Russia’s foreign ministry also condemned the operation, calling it an act of “armed aggression" and urging dialogue to prevent further escalation. “The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded," it said.

News world ‘Disastrous Outcomes Every Time US Topples A Govt’: Intel Chief Tulsi Gabbard On Venezuela

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