President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States intends to temporarily “run” Venezuela following a massive overnight military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Describing the mission as an “assault like people have not seen since World War II,” Trump signaled a swift and dramatic shift in the region’s governance.
The President warned that the U.S. remains prepared to launch a “second and significantly larger” military operation if the situation requires it, though he noted such action might not be necessary. He also emphasized that his administration is not afraid of placing “boots on the ground.”
READ: Florida Democrat Breaks With Party To Applaud Trump’s Capture Of ‘Brutal’ Maduro
“We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so,” Trump said. “We probably do not need to do a second, but we are prepared for a second wave — a much bigger wave, actually.”
Earlier in the day, Trump shared a photograph online purporting to show Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima. According to the President, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, was also taken into U.S. custody during the operation. The couple is reportedly being transported aboard the Navy vessel to New York to face criminal proceedings.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that a federal indictment has been unsealed in New York against Maduro and Flores. The indictment accuses them of conspiring with drug trafficking organizations to export cocaine into the United States.
These charges follow a 2020 indictment in which Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were charged with narco-terrorism, allegations the Venezuelan leader has repeatedly denied.
In Caracas, Venezuela’s government condemned the operation as an “imperialist attack.” Officials accused the U.S. forces of striking both civilian and military targets and have demanded immediate proof of life for Maduro and Flores.
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