El Salvador President Nayib Bukele gave a seven-word response Saturday to a lengthy statement by a Democratic U.S. senator condemning the Trump administration’s capture and overthrow of socialist Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen posted a 204-word denunciation Saturday morning to X claiming the administration’s swift removal of Maduro, in an operation which reportedly did not cause a single U.S. casualty, was an “act of war.” Bukele, a key ally of President Donald Trump known for his hardline stance against criminal gangs including MS-13, responded to the post, “So you just want to defend thugs.”
Van Hollen made headlines in the spring of 2025 for his steadfast advocacy on behalf of reputed MS-13 gangbanger and suspected human smuggler Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland before his deportation by the Trump administration.
“The American people did not ask for this act of war to bring about regime change in Venezuela – nor did Congress authorize it,” Van Hollen wrote in his statement. “President Trump has put our troops in harm’s way, and he has not provided a clear, fact-based rationale for these actions, nor the long-term strategy following these strikes.”
So you just want to defend thugs. https://t.co/WptuahoZ09
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) January 3, 2026
“This act of war is a grave abuse of power by the President. The Trump Administration is repeating the worst mistakes of our past and endangering American lives – and their motive for doing so is a farce,” the Maryland Democrat continued. He went on to claim Trump “seized” Maduro without mentioning he was allied with a host of American adversaries and was viewed by the U.S. government as an illegitimate president and drug cartel leader.
“Maduro is a dictator, but his regime did not pose the immediate threat necessary to warrant U.S. military action on foreign soil without Congressional approval,” Van Hollen went on to write. “This is about trying to grab Venezuela’s oil for Trump’s billionaire buddies.”
The senator’s statement did not mention Maduro’s alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking and ties to crime syndicates, including groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs.) The indictment against the deposed dictator, unsealed Saturday morning, charges Maduro and his co-defendants for having “partnered with narcotics traffickers and narco-terrorist groups, who dispatched processed cocaine from Venezuela to the United States.”
Bukele’s seven-word dismissal of Van Hollen’s statement received 66,000 likes Saturday evening on X. This was more than three times the number of the 18,000 likes the senator’s post received by the same time, despite the senator’s statement already having been on the platform for over two hours.
The senator later responded to Bukele, writing, “You don’t see me out here defending you. Or Maduro for that matter, but I know the rule of law is a difficult concept for someone who calls himself ‘the world’s coolest dictator.’”
Bukele simply replied, “No more margaritas for you.”
No more margaritas for you. https://t.co/JLFUN8guQJ
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) January 3, 2026
In April 2025, Van Hollen notably made a trip to El Salvador where he met with Abrego Garcia and unsuccessfully attempted to secure the illegal immigrant’s return to the U.S.
Bukele scoffed at the stance held by Van Hollen and other congressional Democrats that Abrego Garcia should be returned stateside, telling Trump at the time that the notion was “preposterous.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
