(4th LD) US strike-Venezuela
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| ▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2026, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo from U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social account shows captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a press conference following a U.S. strike on Venezuela at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2026, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press conference following a U.S. strike on Venezuela at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2026, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, posted on U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social account on Jan. 3, 2026, shows Trump (C), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) and CIA Director John Ratcliffe watching a military operation against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(4th LD) US strike-Venezuela
(4th LD) Trump says U.S. captured Maduro in military strike, will run Venezuela until 'proper' transition
(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout; CHANGES photo)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a large-scale military strike, and will "run" the South American country until a "safe" and "proper" transition occurs there.
Trump made the remarks during a press conference on "Operation Absolute Resolve" -- the military operation that kicked off Friday night (Washington time) to capture Maduro in Caracas, who has been indicted in New York for what he called a "campaign of deadly narco-terrorism" against the U.S. and its citizens.
The capture capped the Trump administration's monthslong pressure campaign against Maduro, which involved a series of measures, including the mobilization of military assets in the Caribbean, strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats and the seizure of oil tankers off Venezuela.
The operation was in line with the Trump administration's drive to reassert American power in the Western Hemisphere and its vow to combat drug-trafficking cartels, while some critics pointed out that it proceeded without a congressional authorization process and could escalate regional tensions.
"Late last night and early today at my direction, the U.S. armed forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela," Trump told reporters, casting the operation as "one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence."
"It was a force against a heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas to bring outlaw dictator Nicolas Maduro to justice," he added, flanked by his top aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
With Maduro taken out of Venezuela, the U.S. will "run" the country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said.
"We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind. ... We are going to run it essentially until such time as a proper transition can take place," he said.
The U.S. will have large American oil companies "go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country," Trump said.
In addition, he underscored the U.S.' readiness to stage a "second and much larger attack" against Venezuela if need be, as he stressed that America is "not afraid of boots on the ground" in response to a question about whether U.S. ground troops will be sent to Venezuela.
"The first attack was so successful," he said. "We probably don't have to do a second wave, but we are prepared to do a second wave, a much bigger wave actually."
Trump first made the announcement on the capture of Maduro in a social media post. He also posted a photo of the deposed leader later as Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez called for "proof of life" from the U.S.
Following the capture, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, boarded the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, to head to New York, where Maduro has been indicted on drug trafficking charges.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post that Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, stressing that they will soon face the "full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts."
In March 2020, Maduro was charged with narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. The U.S. has offered a reward of up to US$50 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
This week's military operation involved more than 150 military aircraft across the Western Hemisphere, including key combat jets, such as F-22s, F-35s, F-18s and B-1 bombers, as well as service members from all domains, including air, sea and land, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said during the press conference.
The operation kicked off as Trump ordered the mission to proceed at 10:46 a.m. (Washington time), he said. U.S. personnel arrived at Maduro's compound at 1:01 a.m., and they successfully exfiltrated and returned to their afloat launch bases with the indicted persons at 3:29 a.m.
Caine reported no U.S. military fatality during the operation, though there was an exchange of fire.
"On arrival into the target area, the (U.S.) helicopters came under fire, and they replied (to) that fire with overwhelming force in self-defense," Caine said. "One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable, and as the president said earlier today, all of our aircraft came home."
The general issued a stern warning against potential U.S. adversaries.
"Our jobs are to integrate combat power, so when the order comes, we can deliver overwhelming force at the time and place of our choosing against any foe anywhere in the world," he said.
Rubio said that Maduro had "multiple opportunities to avoid this."
"He was provided multiple, very generous offers, and chose instead to play around, and the result is what we saw tonight."
Commenting on the capture of Maduro, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said that the "tyrant is gone."
"A new dawn for Venezuela!" Landau wrote on X. "He will now -- finally -- face justice for his crimes."
Some critics in Washington voiced concerns over the military strike, pointing out that it proceeded without a due legal approval process.
"Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela," Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) wrote on X. "He says we don't have enough money for healthcare for Americans -- but somehow we have unlimited funds for war?"
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) struck a similar note.
"Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war," he wrote on X.
Kim also noted that Rubio and Hegseth said to senators recently that what the Trump administration had been doing was not about "regime change" in Venezuela.
"I didn't trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress," he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was "deeply alarmed" by the recent escalation in Venezuela, and that the U.S. military action has "potential worrying implications for the region."
"These developments constitute a dangerous precedent, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Guterres said in a statement.
"The secretary-general continues to emphasize the importance of full respect -- by all -- of international law, including the U.N. Charter. He's deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected."
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