Republican Rep. Jim Baird is standing by the Trump administration’s decision to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and launch overnight military strikes, saying it was the right call to protect American troops and global security.

“As a combat veteran, I would not want my position or my team’s location given away through a leak,” Baird told News 8. “Our adversaries are listening to the same news we are back home, and this operation had to stay secure to succeed.”

Baird defended the decision to bypass Congress, saying including lawmakers ahead of time could have put the mission at risk. He also highlighted the strategic importance of Venezuelan oil, which he says has been a major funding source for terrorist groups and adversaries like China and Russia. “Not having that oil to fund these groups is a necessary step in protecting global and American security,” he said.

Baird joins other Indiana Republicans, including Sen. Jim Banks and Reps. Mark Messmer and Rudy Yakym, in supporting the administration’s actions. He framed the operation as a strong message to criminal regimes.

“The Maduro government is a drug cartel posing as a country,” Baird said. “This operation shows that.”