Breaking: Trump Claims Maduro Captured in Massive US Strike
Trump claims a massive US strike led to the capture of Venezuela’s leader, escalating US Venezuela crisis and triggering global geopolitical shockwaves.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the US military had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a "massive attack" on the South American country.
Trump's stunning announcement comes after months of escalating US military and economic pressure on the leftist leader Maduro and his country's oil-dependent economy.
"The United States has successfully launched a massive attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been captured along with his wife and taken out of the country," Trump said on social media.
"This operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement."
Trump added that he would hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is nearing the end of a two-week Christmas and New Year's holiday.
Trump praised the "spectacular" operation. "Very good planning and very good, excellent soldiers and excellent people," the newspaper quoted Trump as saying.
The US military's elite Delta Force unit reportedly carried out the operation to capture Maduro. US officials did not immediately confirm the report.
A US senator, citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the US military action was now complete, with Maduro arrested to "face trial" in the United States.
Republican Senator Mike Lee, who was initially critical of the operation, wrote on X after a phone call with Rubio, "He hopes that now that Maduro is in US custody, there will be no further action in Venezuela."
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The Trump administration had offered a $50 million reward in August for information leading to the capture of Maduro, who is accused of leading the alleged "Cartel of the Suns" drug trafficking organization. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X, "A new dawn for Venezuela! The dictator is gone. Now he will – finally – face justice for his crimes."
Meanwhile, the White House reposted a video of Trump on X, in which he said in October that Maduro "doesn't want to mess with the United States."
Trump has offered various justifications for his campaign against Venezuela, including claims that the country is a major exporter of drugs to the United States and that Venezuela has seized American oil interests. The Republican leader has not explicitly called for Maduro's removal, but the U...S. government, along with several European countries, does not recognize the Venezuelan leader's legitimacy.
Trump said in December that it would be "wise" for Maduro to step down and also stated that the Venezuelan leader's "days are numbered."
The U.S. president's claim of capturing Maduro came two days after Maduro reportedly attempted to contact Trump, offering cooperation in combating drug trafficking and illegal migration.
A large naval and air presence has been established in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships.
The U.S. military has seized two tankers at sea under an oil embargo against Venezuela and killed more than 100 people in airstrikes aimed at destroying small boats suspected of drug trafficking.
Trump said on Monday that the United States attacked and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, which was the first known attack on Venezuelan soil under this operation.
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