Venezuela-US conflict: US will govern Venezuela until proper transition, Trump declares

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the US will effectively govern Venezuela following a military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” Trump said during the press conference.

“We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind,” he warned.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly criticised Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, calling him not the legitimate leader of Venezuela. “It’s not just us saying it,” Rubio said, noting that both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration have taken the same position. He also pointed out that the European Union and multiple countries worldwide do not recognise Maduro as president. Rubio described Maduro as a “fugitive of American justice” with a $50 million reward on his head, quipping, “I guess we saved ourselves $50 million,” to which Trump added, “We should make sure… don’t let anybody claim it.” The Secretary of State said Maduro had “multiple opportunities” to avoid confrontation but instead chose to “act like a wild man” and “play around.” He accused Maduro of inviting Iran into Venezuela and “flooding the US with gang members,” adding that the Venezuelan leader underestimated the United States. 

Donald Trump warned that all political and military figures in Venezuela should take note that what happened to Nicolás Maduro could happen to them as well. “The Venezuelan people are free again,” he said, adding that America is now a “safer” and “prouder nation.” Trump then handed over to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who described the operation as “a massive joint military and law enforcement raid, flawlessly executed.” Hegseth said Maduro “had his chance, just like Iran had their chance,” but added that the Venezuelan leader “messed around,” implying that his inaction led to his capture.

Donald Trump said a future “partnership” between the United States and Venezuela would make the Venezuelan people “rich, independent and safe,” claiming that those living in the US would be “extremely happy” with the developments. “They’re not going to suffer any more,” he told a news conference. Trump strongly criticised Nicolás Maduro, describing him as an “illegitimate dictator” and accusing him of allowing “colossal amounts of deadly illicit drugs” to enter the United States. He also alleged that Maduro oversaw the Cartel de los Soles, a charge the Venezuelan leader has repeatedly and firmly denied in the past. Trump further said that Maduro and his wife were currently on a ship heading to New York, adding that a decision would be taken soon on whether they would be taken to New York or Miami.

Donald Trump described the military operation in Venezuela in dramatic terms, calling it a display of “overwhelming military power” and a “spectacular assault.” He said the action ranked among “the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.” Backing his claims, Trump said the operation was carried out without any loss of American military personnel or destruction of US equipment. According to him, the mission achieved its core objective with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

During the address, Trump says "Thankful to the military for their breathtaking speed, power, precision and competence. These highly trained warriors were operating in collaboration with US law enforcement. Venezuelan forces were waiting for us, he says, with "many ships out". Despite being in a "ready position", Trump says Venezuelan forces were "completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated".

Addressing the media, Trump said, "Maduro and his wife now face American justice, they have been indicted in the southern district of New York for their campaign of deadly narco-terrorism against the US and its citizens." 

Donald Trump said he was prepared to launch a much larger second wave of military action if the situation had demanded it. However, he added that such escalation may no longer be necessary, suggesting that the objectives of the operation may have already been achieved.

US President Donald Trump said an “extraordinary” military operation was carried out overnight in Venezuela’s capital at his direction. He stated that the action involved the use of what he described as “overwhelming” American military force deployed across air, land, and sea.

US President Donald Trump is addressing the media. 

US President Donald Trump has shared a new image on Truth Social that shows Venezuelan President Maduro. 

According to foreign media reports, during the US airstrikes in Venezuelan, the president and his wife were dragged from the bedroom in the middle of the night while they were sleeping by US forces.

US President Donald Trump has said that he held discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in recent weeks, during which he repeatedly urged him to step down. According to Trump, Maduro was “close” to surrendering, but ultimately refused, prompting what he described as a “much more surgical and much more powerful” operation. Trump called the move an “important symbol,” claiming Maduro had lost public support, pointing to American flags being waved on the streets and describing him as “a dictator that the people hated.” Trump further claimed that Maduro and his wife were initially taken to the USS *Iwo Jima* following his capture. He said they were transported by helicopter and would later be taken to New York. “They’re on a ship, and they’ll be heading into New York,” Trump said, adding in a sarcastic tone that the helicopter ride was “a nice flight.”

Describing the moment of capture, Trump said Maduro was hiding in a heavily fortified residence with steel doors and a reinforced safe room. He claimed Maduro attempted to reach the secure area but was overpowered before he could do so, saying the operation happened so quickly that he had no chance to escape.

US President Donald Trump to speak on US military attack in Venezuela shortly. 

Trump says Maduro and his wife are aboard a US warship and will face prosecution in New York, reports AP. 

On the recent US attack on Venezuela’s capital, Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, former Indian Ambassador to Venezuela, shared his perspective, stating, "It's not very surprising that this action has taken place because it was being anticipated in terms of the US wanting regime change in Venezuela." He added that the attack, which occurred during the night and early morning hours, was "a very precise, coordinated attack," designed to target President Nicolás Maduro. Sinha emphasized that this move appeared to be a calculated attempt to extract Maduro from power. He also pointed out the critical role of the Venezuelan military, which has supported Maduro’s regime, and noted that the aftermath of his removal will largely depend on how politics unfold within the country.

On the recent US attack on Venezuela’s capital, Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, former Indian Ambassador to Venezuela, shared his perspective, stating, "It's not very surprising that this action has taken place because it was being anticipated in terms of the US wanting regime change in Venezuela." He added that the attack, which occurred during the night and early morning hours, was "a very precise, coordinated attack," designed to target President Nicolás Maduro. Sinha emphasized that this move appeared to be a calculated attempt to extract Maduro from power. He also pointed out the critical role of the Venezuelan military, which has supported Maduro’s regime, and noted that the aftermath of his removal will largely depend on how politics unfold within the country.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer clarifying its stance said that the UK was not involved "in any way" in the US-led strike on Venezuela. He further told reporters he wanted to "establish facts" and speak to Trump first about the "fast moving situation".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post shared on X, said that Maduro is “not the President of Venezuela" and claimed that his government does not represent the legitimate authority of the country. He described Maduro as the head of the so-called “Cartel de Los Soles", which he alleged is a narco-terror group that has taken control of the state. “Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government. Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization that has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs in the United States," Rubio wrote.

Spain PM Pedro Sanchez posts, "The Government of Spain is conducting a thorough monitoring of the events in Venezuela. Our embassy and consulates are operational. We call for de-escalation and responsibility. International Law and the principles of the United Nations Charter must be respected."

Former Indian Ambassador to Venezuela R. Viswanathan said on Friday that the US attack on Caracas did not come as a shock, pointing out that Washington had issued similar threats in the past. He recalled that during Donald Trump’s first term as US President, Venezuela had faced comparable warnings. Speaking to news agency ANI, Viswanathan said that this time the US had gone a step further by deploying warships and authorising the CIA. Addressing concerns from an Indian perspective, the former diplomat played down any significant impact on New Delhi. He noted that India is not heavily reliant on Venezuela for crude oil and that bilateral trade between the two countries remains minimal. “Our engagement is limited, apart from some investment by ONGC in Venezuelan oil fields. Overall, this situation is unlikely to affect India in a major way,” he said.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez says location of Maduro, wife, is unknown, adding: 'We demand proof of life,' reports AP.

Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino declared on Saturday morning that the country will oppose any foreign military presence. This comes after US President Donald Trump claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and was being removed from the country. Padrino also reported that a US airstrike targeted civilian areas, resulting in casualties. The Venezuelan government is currently gathering information about the victims.

Donald Trump announced that US forces carried out a major operation against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This has come as a major flare up in the tensions between the two nations.

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" posts US President Donald Trump on Truth Social.

Venezuela on Saturday accused the United States (US) of attacking its military installations and civilian infrastructure after at least seven explosions were heard at different locations in the capital city of Caracas. Reports have also gone viral that some low-flying aircraft were also spotted in the Venezuelan airspace. Click here to read more.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has condemned the alleged US strikes on Venezuela, and said that the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS) must immediately intervene. 

"Right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela. They are bombing with missiles. The OAS and the UN must meet immediately," he posted on X.

“At this moment, there is no official statement regarding the events reported in Venezuela. Any confirmed information will be disseminated in a timely manner through official channels,” it said in a brief statement.

Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior Democratic Party leader, was among the first US lawmakers to respond to the explosions in Venezuela.

He said the United States has "no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war".

“We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now. And he’s not even bothering to tell the American public what the h*ll is going on,” Schatz added.

Footage has surfaced on X showing smoke rising over Caracas as several dual rotor helicopters fly above the area. According to the aviation journal FlightGlobal, the Venezuelan military is not known to operate any dual-rotor aircraft.

President Donald Trump is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where several of his top national security advisers have been spending significant time with him. The president has also hosted foreign leaders at the club in recent days. According to the White House, Trump received a national security briefing on Friday evening.

The reported strikes come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with President Donald Trump having publicly raised the possibility of ground strikes against the country. In recent days, he also ordered the deployment of a US Navy task force to the Caribbean.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared a state of emergency, accusing the United States of carrying out military aggression and urging people to mobilise to “defeat this imperialist aggression”.

Following the reported US strikes on Venezuela, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Saturday that his country was deeply concerned about the explosions in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.