Washington and Caracas January 3 2026
President Donald Trump said the United States will take control of Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro declaring that Washington will remain in the country until a safe proper and judicious political transition is achieved.
The announcement came after US forces carried out early morning military strikes across parts of Venezuela on Saturday capturing Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and removing them from the country. Trump said the operation achieved its objective without the loss of any American service members or military equipment.
Speaking at a press conference Trump described the operation as an overwhelming display of American military power and said Venezuelan forces were quickly incapacitated despite being prepared for an attack. He added that the United States was ready to launch a second and much larger operation if circumstances required it.
Maduro has now been indicted in New York on charges including narco terrorism drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would face American justice in US courts and be held accountable for what she described as a campaign that fueled the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. Trump accused Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles an allegation Maduro has repeatedly denied in the past.
Trump said Maduro and his wife were being transported to the United States with a decision pending on whether proceedings would take place in New York or Miami. Shortly before the press conference Trump released an image he said showed Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima blindfolded and wearing ear protection.
The legal basis for the US military action remains unclear. Trump declined to say whether he sought or received congressional authorization before launching the strikes. The White House has not released further details on the scope or duration of the US presence in Venezuela.
Venezuelan authorities condemned the operation. The countrys attorney general said civilians were killed during strikes on facilities in Caracas and surrounding areas. The government declared a national emergency accusing the United States of extremely serious military aggression.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado welcomed the developments saying the hour of freedom had arrived and that Maduro would now face justice. Machado who has been internationally recognized for her political activism said the country was entering a decisive moment.
The United States has steadily increased pressure on Venezuela in recent months including deploying additional naval forces to the Caribbean intercepting Venezuelan oil tankers and conducting maritime strikes on vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking. Trump claimed US operations have significantly reduced drug smuggling by sea though those figures have not been independently verified.
Turning to Venezuelas economy Trump said US companies would move in to repair oil infrastructure and revive production arguing that a partnership with Washington would make Venezuela rich independent and safe. He said Venezuelans living in the United States would welcome the change and promised that the population would no longer suffer.
The operation marks a sharp turn for Trump who had long criticized the US invasion of Iraq and warned against prolonged nation building. Analysts say his declaration that the United States will run Venezuela places Washington squarely in charge of the countrys political and economic future at a time of deep instability.
As events continue to unfold the international response and the long term consequences of US involvement in Venezuela remain uncertain.
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