President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will temporarily “run” Venezuela following a large-scale U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
According to NBC News, Trump announced the decision during a press conference in Florida, where he stated the U.S. would take control of the country until a leadership transition is implemented.
“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. “And it has to be judicious, because that’s what we’re all about.”
CNN states that Trump did not provide a timeline for how long the U.S. would remain in control, nor did he outline how governance would function beyond military and economic oversight.
How the U.S. Military Operation Unfolded
According to NBC News, the operation that led to Maduro’s capture was approved by Trump more than a week in advance but was delayed several times due to adverse weather conditions.
NBC reports Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said Trump gave the final order at 10:46 p.m. ET Friday night.
“Weather in Venezuela is always a factor this time of year,” Caine said. “The men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action.”
NBC News reports U.S. forces arrived at Maduro’s compound by 1:01 a.m. ET Saturday and exited Venezuelan airspace by 3:29 a.m. with Maduro and Flores in custody. NewsOne reports critics call his capture an “illegal kidnapping” and the attack “immoral and irresponsible.”
Per CNN, more than 150 aircraft were deployed during the mission. Trump said no U.S. troops or equipment were lost, describing the operation as highly effective. Maduro and Flores were dragged from their bedroom by elite U.S. forces during the overnight raid.
What Happens to Maduro Now?
Trump confirmed that Maduro and Flores were transported to New York, where Maduro is expected to face long-standing drug and weapons charges.
According to NBC News, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro has been indicted on charges including narco terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi said.
Federal prosecutors allege Maduro “is at the forefront” of a corruption network that trafficked thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States.
“I’ve seen what we have,” Trump said. “It’s both horrible and breathtaking that something like this could have been allowed to take place for many years.”
Trump’s Plan for Venezuela and Its Oil
CNN states Trump said the U.S. will take control of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and allow American oil companies to invest billions of dollars to rebuild the country’s energy sector.
“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said.
CNN also reports that Trump said U.S. troops would “have a presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil,” adding that oil revenue would be used to reimburse both Venezuelans and the United States.
“It won’t cost us anything,” Trump said. “The money coming out of the ground is very substantial.”
According to NBC News, Trump said the U.S. military is prepared to carry out a second and larger attack if necessary.
“We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so,” Trump said.
Political Pushback and Constitutional Questions
NBC News states that Democratic lawmakers criticized the operation for being carried out without congressional authorization.
“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said.
Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York called the operation unconstitutional.
“Trump’s actions are completely illegal and unconstitutional,” Nadler said. “This grave abuse of power has put American troops in harm’s way and threatens wider conflict in the region.”
According to NBC News, Trump dismissed the criticism during a phone interview with Fox News.
“As far as last night is concerned, it was really genius,” Trump said. “The Democrats all they do is complain.”
Global Reaction and What Comes Next
According to Hip Hop Wired, Venezuelan officials accused the United States of targeting civilian and military locations and denounced the strike as “military aggression.”
Russia condemned the operation and pledged support for Venezuela ahead of an emergency United Nations meeting.
“The pretexts cited to justify these actions are untenable,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said. “We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people.”
As of now, Trump has not clarified how long the United States intends to govern Venezuela or how power will ultimately be transferred, leaving major questions unanswered as the situation continues to develop.
