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U.S. President Donald Trump said the US would run Venezuela until a “judicious transition” can happen and tap the country’s massive oil reserves, hours after an audacious military operation in Venezuela that removed President Nicolas Maduro from power and from the country.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in the large-scale U.S. military operation inside Venezuela on January 3, 2026. They were brought to New York and are set to face drug and weapons charges in Manhattan federal court.

President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, saying U.S. forces struck multiple targets, neutralized Venezuelan military capabilities, and seized the country’s leader in what he described as a decisive action against narcotics trafficking and authoritarian rule.

“We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “We can’t take a chance that someone else takes over Venezuela who doesn’t have the interests of Venezuelans in mind.”

The operation immediately triggered international condemnation, sharp debate in the U.S. Congress, celebrations among parts of the Venezuelan diaspora, and deep concern across Latin America and Europe over the precedent set by the use of force.

Inside US ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’ to Capture Maduro

According to U.S. officials, ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’, which involved more than 150 aircraft, began late Friday night and concluded in the early hours of Saturday, involving coordinated strikes by air, land, and sea forces. Trump said “overwhelming military power” was used in what he described as a “spectacular assault,” adding that the attack was “like people have not seen since World War II.”

The U.S. military struck key Venezuelan military and communications facilities, including Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s main military base in Caracas, La Carlota air base, a major signal antenna site known as El Volcan, and the port of La Guaira on the Caribbean coast. Explosions were reported across the capital, and fires were seen at military installations.

Trump said the operation lasted less than 30 minutes and took place largely in darkness. “We turned off almost all of the lights in Caracas,” he said, describing a highly coordinated night assault.

Delta Force Captured Maduro

U.S. officials said President Maduro was captured by members of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special operations unit. Trump said Maduro was seized from a “highly guarded” presidential compound that was “like a fortress.”

“It had what they call a safety space, where it’s solid steel all around,” Trump said. “He was trying to get into it, but he got bum-rushed right so fast that he didn’t get into that. We were prepared.”

Trump said U.S. forces had rehearsed the mission extensively, including practicing on a replica of the building they entered. He added that American troops carried specialized equipment that could have breached reinforced steel walls if necessary.

The operation involved a substantial combined naval and air force deployment drawn from a broad Caribbean-area buildup under Operation Southern Spear. Central to the effort were major U.S. Navy warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its carrier strike group, multiple Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers including USS Stockdale, USS Gravely, USS Mahan, USS Winston S. Churchill, and USS Bainbridge, Ticonderoga-class cruisers like USS Gettysburg and USS Lake Erie, and an amphibious task force centered on the USS Iwo Jima assault ship alongside USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale.

The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in.… pic.twitter.com/KsbxS6TbSp

— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) January 3, 2026

These surface combatants were supported by Virginia-class attack submarines and other auxiliary vessels positioned in the region. Air assets reportedly included over 150 aircraft from sea and land bases, such as Marine Corps F-35B and AV-8B jets, F/A-18 Super Hornets, MQ-9 Reaper drones, AC-130 gunships, and a variety of helicopters and support planes from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment that ferried special operators and provided assault and extraction capabilities.

Helicopters played a direct role in the nighttime capture and evacuation of Maduro, who was flown to the USS Iwo Jima after the raid. No U.S. service members were killed, according to the president, though he said several were injured. “A couple of guys were hit, but they came back, and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape,” he said. Trump said no U.S. aircraft were lost, although one helicopter was “hit pretty hard.”

Maduro in US custody

After his capture, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown by helicopter to a U.S. warship, the USS Iwo Jima. Trump later shared a photo showing Maduro aboard the vessel. U.S. officials said Maduro was being transported to New York, where he is expected to be transferred to federal custody and arraigned in the Southern District of New York.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro has been indicted on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of 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 previously accused Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials of collaborating with Colombia’s FARC guerrilla group to traffic cocaine and weapons into the United States. The U.S. government had placed a $50 million reward on information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

Trump Administration will ‘Temporarily Run’ Venezuela

In remarks at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump said the United States would temporarily assume responsibility for governing Venezuela. “We’re going to run the country until we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” he said.

“We don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years,” Trump added. “We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela.”

Trump said Venezuelan military forces were “completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated,” adding that “all Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the operation and issued a warning to U.S. adversaries. “Our adversaries remain on notice. America can project our will anywhere, anytime,” he said.

Hegseth said the mission demonstrated “the coordination, the stealth, the lethality, the precision, the very long arm of American justice.” Referring to Maduro, he said, “He effed around, and he found out.”

Vice President JD Vance also praised the operation, saying Maduro had been given “multiple off ramps” before the strike. “You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” Vance said.

Venezuelan Government Declares Emergency

Venezuela’s government reacted by declaring a state of emergency and calling on supporters to mobilize. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced the deployment of military forces nationwide, calling the U.S. strikes “the worst aggression” ever against Venezuela.

“They’ve attacked us, but they will not subdue us,” he said, urging calm and warning against panic. Venezuela’s vice president demanded proof of life and confirmation of Maduro’s location.

The State Department advised U.S. citizens in Venezuela to shelter in place, citing reports of explosions in and around Caracas and ongoing security risks.

Opposition celebrates, calls for transition

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado hailed the capture as a turning point. “Venezuelans, the time for freedom has come!” she said in a statement.

She said Maduro would “face international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans” and called for opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia to be recognized as the country’s legitimate president. Machado pledged to restore order, release political prisoners, and bring exiled Venezuelans home.

Celebrations erupted among Venezuelans in South Florida, where crowds gathered, waved flags, and chanted “Libertad,” calling the moment one they had waited decades to see.

Divided Reaction by US Congress

The Trump administration notified congressional leaders only after the operation had begun. Some Republicans defended the move as a law enforcement action tied to existing indictments. Senator Tom Cotton said, “Congress isn’t notified when the FBI is going to arrest a drug trafficker.”

Democrats and some Republicans raised constitutional concerns. Senator Mark Warner warned that using military force for regime change “demands the closest scrutiny,” while Senator Ruben Gallego called the operation illegal. “This war is illegal,” he said, adding it was the “second unjustified war” of his lifetime.

Global Reaction

Russia and Iran condemned the operation as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty. China said it was “deeply shocked” and accused the United States of hegemonic behavior that threatens regional stability. The European Union called for restraint and respect for international law, saying the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela was a priority.

Latin American governments largely denounced the strikes. Brazil said the operation crossed “an unacceptable line,” while Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay condemned the use of force and urged dialogue.

Cuba described the attack as “state terrorism.” Argentina and Ecuador, however, welcomed Maduro’s removal and called for a democratic transition.

Maduro’s capture comes exactly 36 years after U.S. forces arrested Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, another indicted Latin American head of state. The operation marks a sharp escalation from months of U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels and facilities linked to Venezuela.

While Trump declared the mission a success and said no further military action was expected, the long-term consequences remain uncertain. The prospect of the United States temporarily governing Venezuela, the risk of regional destabilization, and the precedent set by forcibly capturing a foreign head of state have raised profound legal and geopolitical questions that are likely to dominate international debate in the days ahead.