The United States carried out military strikes in Venezuela on the night of Jan. 3, 2026, and U.S. forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an operation President Donald Trump described as a coordinated mission involving the U.S. military and U.S. law enforcement.
In televised remarks delivered Saturday from Mara- Lago in Florida, Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period while a transition is arranged.
“We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” Trump said, adding that he would designate people to oversee the process and signaling that U.S. officials would be directly involved in governance. Trump did not rule out a prolonged U.S. presence and said the United States had already used ground forces during the operation. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground. … We had boots on the ground last night,” he said.
Operation Details, According to U.S. Statements
Trump praised the mission as one of the “most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might” in history, saying no U.S. troops were killed and no equipment was lost.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the operation involved 150 aircraft launched from 20 different bases, according to statements delivered after the president.
Trump initially announced the operation in a post on Truth Social, stating Maduro and Flores had been “captured and flown out of the Country” following a “large scale strike” executed “in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”
Explosions were reported overnight at military bases in Caracas, and the Venezuelan government said strikes also occurred in three other states across the country.
Trump also warned remaining Venezuelan political and military figures that “what happened to Maduro can happen to them,” and he indicated the White House could order additional actions in Venezuela.
New Mexico Parties Issue Dueling Statements In Albuquerque, the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) released a statement condemning what it called “unconstitutional military operations” and warning the United States is being pulled into “a lengthy, costly military occupation.”
“While millions face an affordability crisis and unaffordable health care here at home, Donald Trump wants to spend billions to attack and occupy a country 2,000 miles away,” the DPNM statement said. The party argued the action is unconstitutional, saying only Congress has the authority to declare war, and called on Congress to “assert its constitutional authority over American military action immediately.”
Also in Albuquerque, Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) Chairwoman Amy Barela praised the operation and the capture of Maduro, calling it unprecedented.
“No other military in the world could have successfully pulled this mission off. Not one,” Barela said. She said celebrations were underway in Venezuela and among Venezuelan communities in the United States, and criticized Democratic officials, including Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Melanie Stansbury, for opposing Trump’s actions. Barela described Maduro as illegitimate and accused his regime of fueling narcotics and criminal activity that harmed the United States.
RPNM framed the operation as “America First,” saying the world is safer with Maduro removed from power.