A new political cartoon by Maria Grasmick depicting Sec. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rand Paul during a Senate Foreign Relations hearing on Venezuela policy. Includes artist sketches and commentary.

This piece captures a moment that felt less like a Senate hearing and more like a sitcom.

As Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s operation in Venezuela, Rand Paul tried to turn it into a drama

The real quotes inspired me directly:
🗣️ Rubio: “Let’s be clear the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela. This was law enforcement.”
😤 Rand: “If it smells like war… it is war!” but more childish

YES HE DID He sure did he aint LITTLE MARCO ANYMORE and RAND IS JEALOUS

There’s something timeless about watching two men with entirely different philosophies fight not just over policy but over language. Over who gets to define the moment.

In this cartoon, I’ve given them both their stage.

Marco Rubio Venezuela Political Cartoon: Rand Paul Senate Hearing

This Marco Rubio Venezuela political cartoon depicts Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Rand Paul during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on United States policy toward Venezuela.

The exchange felt less like a conventional Senate hearing and more like a political sitcom. Rubio defended the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela, while Paul challenged the language being used to describe them.

Was it law enforcement? Was it military action? Was it war?

That disagreement over words became the heart of my cartoon.

The official Senate hearing, titled U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela, took place on January 28, 2026, with Rubio appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the witness.

Marco Rubio Is Not “Little Marco” Anymore- Marco Rubio Venezuela Political Cartoon

One of the ideas behind this cartoon is that Marco Rubio no longer appears as the young presidential candidate once dismissed by Donald Trump as “Little Marco.”

Here, Rubio is Secretary of State. He is defending the administration’s foreign policy, answering senators, and presenting himself as an authoritative voice on Venezuela.

He has grown into the role.

Rand Paul, meanwhile, challenges him with a completely different philosophy. Paul is deeply skeptical of military intervention, executive power, and efforts to redefine armed action through careful political wording.

In my cartoon, Paul’s objection becomes more exaggerated and childish. That was intentional. Rubio appears controlled and confident, while Paul appears increasingly frustrated that Rubio refuses to accept his definition of the event.

When Does Military Action Become War?

The central argument was not merely about Venezuela. It was about who gets to define reality.

Rubio’s position was that the United States was not at war with Venezuela and that the operation should be understood through the framework of law enforcement.

Paul’s argument was essentially that when military force looks, sounds, and behaves like war, changing the terminology does not change the reality.

That is where political cartoons are especially useful.

A hearing transcript records the official words. A cartoon reveals the tension underneath them.

The Senate committee confirmed that the hearing concerned U.S. policy toward Venezuela and featured Rubio as Secretary of State.

Rubio and Paul Fight Over Language

There is something timeless about watching two political figures with completely different philosophies fight not only over policy, but over language.

Words such as “operation,” “enforcement,” “intervention,” and “war” carry different legal and emotional meanings.

The person who controls the language often controls how the public understands the event.

That made the hearing visually interesting to me. Rubio and Paul were not simply debating Venezuela. They were competing to define the moment.

In this cartoon, I gave both men their own stage.

Rubio represents confidence, executive authority, and a muscular foreign policy. Paul represents constitutional skepticism, restraint, and suspicion toward military power.

Why I Drew the Exchange Like a Sitcom

Political hearings already contain a kind of theater.

There are cameras, microphones, prepared statements, interruptions, facial expressions, and moments when serious policy arguments become intensely personal.

This hearing had all of those ingredients.

The humor came from the contrast between Rubio’s controlled defense of the administration and Paul’s increasingly exasperated effort to make him admit that the operation amounted to war.

That contrast inspired the expressions, gestures, and pacing of the cartoon.

The Work Behind One Political Cartoon

This piece took approximately four hours to draw, but the work began much earlier.

I started searching for the idea around 10:30 in the morning. By the time I finished drawing, writing, publishing, and posting the artwork, it was approximately 5:30 in the evening.

That is why one political cartoon can consume an entire workday.

Some cartoons take eight hours. Others take less. The drawing is only one part of the process. There is also research, concept development, symbolism, composition, coloring, writing, website publishing, SEO, and social-media distribution.

I could always continue refining the lines, strengthening the color, or reworking details. At some point, however, the artist has to decide that the work has communicated the idea and release it into the world.

I have been documenting this political era through original editorial art since 2016. I love the movement, the history, and the challenge of turning political conflict into images that people can remember.

Commission an Original Political Cartoon

Collectors, publications, campaigns, and organizations may commission original political cartoons based on hearings, speeches, public figures, historical events, or current political debates.

Each piece is hand drawn and developed around the central visual argument of the story.

commission an original political cartoon

CLICK to read my substack: I went into this cartoon more deeply as to Rand Paul’s deep seated Jealousy. Took me the longest to write I am trying to get subs so please sub to me!

Read the Deeper Artist Commentary

I explored the symbolism and personality conflict more deeply in my Substack essay, including my interpretation of Rand Paul’s frustration and rivalry with Rubio.

https://open.substack.com/pub/mariagrasmick/p/editorial-cartoon-senate-hearing