President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will temporarily administer Venezuela following the dramatic overnight raid that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, saying American forces will oversee the country “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”
In a press conference at the White House, Trump revealed new details about the high-risk operation, which he called “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competency.” The mission involved coordinated air, land and sea elements and, according to Trump, resulted in no American casualties and no loss of military equipment.
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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in US custody; US President Donald Trump
(Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“They were waiting for us—they knew we were coming,” Trump said of Venezuelan forces. “But they were completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated.” He added that U.S. forces had used “a certain expertise” to shut off power in the capital, saying, “The lights of Caracas were turned off.”
The operation, dubbed “Absolute Resolve,” was initiated at the request of the Justice Department, according to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine said the mission drew on decades of U.S. experience fighting terrorism in the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Africa.
He described the raid as one of the largest and most complex U.S. military deployments in the Western Hemisphere in recent memory. A total of 150 aircraft were launched across the region. American warplanes neutralized Venezuela’s air defenses to clear the way for U.S. helicopters to enter Caracas. “One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable,” Caine confirmed.
A second helicopter team was dispatched to extract Maduro and his wife. Both helicopters came under fire during the operation, which Caine said lasted approximately two hours and 20 minutes.
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US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine
(Photo: JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
Maduro and his wife were captured and are now aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to New York, where they would “face American justice,” according to Trump.
The couple is expected to briefly stop at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to expedite his transfer onto a flight to New York, where he will face charges, sources told CNN. Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed the Venezuelan leader will stand trial on drug trafficking and weapons charges.
Looking ahead, Trump said the U.S. would assume temporary control of Venezuela’s government alongside a group of partners, manage key sectors such as oil and support efforts to stabilize the economy. “We’re going to have our large U.S. oil companies go into Venezuela,” he said, signaling an intent to restore production in the nation with the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
“Very importantly, the embargo on all Venezuelan oil remains in full effect,” he added in answer to a reporter's question. “The American armada remains poised in position, and the United States retains all military options until our demands have been fully met and fully satisfied.”
US airstrikes overnight in Caracas, Venezuela
While Trump confirmed that Venezuela’s vice president had been sworn in, he said the U.S. had not received formal communication from the Venezuelan government. He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with the VP, expressing U.S. support for efforts to “make Venezuela great again.”
Asked about opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, Trump said she was “willing to do what’s necessary,” but also noted that he had not been in contact with her, and questioned whether she “has the respect within the country” to lead. “It will take time to hand over the operation of Venezuela,” he said. “We need to rebuild infrastructure, restore services and ensure stability before that can happen.”
The president also warned that the U.S. was prepared to launch a second wave of attacks if necessary. “We assumed a second wave was necessary—but probably not now,” he said.
The unprecedented military action follows years of escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, with the Trump administration long accusing Maduro’s regime of drug trafficking, corruption and human rights abuses. While previous efforts focused on sanctions and diplomatic isolation, the overnight raid marked a decisive shift in American policy toward direct intervention.