(NewsNation) — President Trump says the U.S. “will run” Venezuela after capturing its president, Nicolás Maduro, during an overnight military strike in Caracas.
“We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. “We can’t take a chance at somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.”
President Trump described Maduro’s capture during a press briefing Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, describing it as an “extraordinary military operation,” adding that no U.S. service members were killed in the process.
“Overwhelming American military power, air, land and sea was used to launch a spectacular assault, and it was an assault like people have not seen since World War II,” Trump said.
Maduro and his wife are currently in U.S. custody. They arrived Sunday in New York, where they are expected to face criminal charges.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced after Maduro was captured that the pair are being indicted on narco-terrorism, drug and weapons charges.
NewsNation partner The Hill contributed to this report.
Flight restrictions to end in Caribbean: Duffy
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced flight restrictions in Caribbean airspace will end at midnight Eastern time, following the overnight military operation in Venezuela.
“Airlines are informed, and will update their schedules quickly. Please continue to work with your airline if your flight was affected by the restrictions,” he said.
Venezuela: The next El Salvador?
Political commentator Bill O’Reilly tells “NewsNation Prime” the Trump administration would like “a very close ally that helps the United States geopolitically,” now that Nicolás Maduro has been removed from power in Venezuela. O’Reilly said the obvious comparison here is El Salvador.
Kamala Harris: ‘We’ve seen this movie before’
Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat who was defeated by Republican Donald Trump in the 2024, assailed his military action in Venezuela.
“This is not about drugs or democracy. It is about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional strongman. If he cared about either, he wouldn’t pardon a convicted drug trafficker or sideline Venezuela’s legitimate opposition while pursuing deals with Maduro’s cronies,” said Harris, who is seen as a possible presidential contender in 2028.
Maduro arrives in NYC
Nicolás Maduro has arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after being helicoptered into New York City on Sunday evening, law enforcement officials tell NewsNation.
He was to be processed at the federal lockup, but it was not clear where Maduro would ultimately be housed.
Maduro was at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba before being flown to NYC, FBI sources said.
Sen. Booker: Republicans ‘own’ latest Trump overreach
U.S. Sen. Corey Booker, D-N.J., becomes the latest Democrat to blast President Trump for military intervention in Venezuela. In a post X, Booker also blamed Republicans who control Congress for allowing Trump to act without restraint.
“Republicans in Congress own this corrosive collapse of our constitutional order,” he said.
CBP, DEA on hand for Maduro arrival
U.S. Customs and Border Protection representatives entered the plane carrying Nicolás Maduro on Saturday to effectively check him into the U.S., sources told NewsNation. CBP was expected to hand Maduro over to the DEA for processing; the Venezuelan leader faces drug-related charges here in the U.S.
‘Oh, how the mighty have fallen’
NewsNation correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera praises the Trump administration’s extraction of Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela overnight. Maduro was perp-walked off a plane in New York.
“If you bet me a million dollars last week that the Venezuelan dictator would be coming down the ramp of a suburban New York airport to face drug charges [in] downtown Manhattan, I would say you were smoking some of that dope you were talking about,” Rivera told Connell McShane.
Maduro now in US
The plane allegedly carrying captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife has arrived in New York. Maduro faces narco-terrorism charges.
Vice president involved in planning for strikes
Vice President JD Vance was involved in the planning of the Venezuela strike but was not physically in the room with the president due to security concerns.
” Vice President Vance was deeply integrated in the process and planning of the Venezuela strikes and Maduro’s arrest. He joined several late night meetings via secure video conference with National Security principals leading up to the operation,” his office said in a statement.
FAA restricts airspace around Venezuela and Caribbean
“Early this morning in support of the Department of War, the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public. When appropriate, these airspace restrictions will be lifted. Please work with your airlines directly if your flight has been impacted. God bless President Trump and the United States military.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X.
White House defends Venezuela strike
“As the Administration has been saying for months, Nicolás Maduro was not the legitimate President of Venezuela – he was the fugitive head of a narco-terrorist cartel who flooded the United States of America with deadly drugs and sent thousands of vicious illegal alien thugs to destabilize our country and harm its people,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “That’s why Maduro was indicted in the United States and finally captured early this morning where he will face the full weight of the American justice system.”
China condemns attack
“China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the U.S.’s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its president. Such hegemonic acts of the U.S. seriously violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region. China firmly opposes it. We call on the U.S. to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and stop violating other countries’ sovereignty and security,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Could Congress check Trump’s power after Venezuela attack?
NewsNation political editor Chris Stirewalt breaks it down.
Maduro expected to arrive in US today
NewsNation sources say the military plane carrying Maduro is expected to land at New York Stewart International Airport sometime today or tonight.
How are the oil markets reacting to the news?
Trump said in his remarks the U.S. would be involved in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.
World leaders react
The international community has condemned the attack on Venezuela.
What is the ‘Donroe Doctrine’?
Why have analysts coined the term to describe Trump’s foreign policy?
Maduro capture ‘surprising’: Former military officer
Overnight, the U.S. captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, during strikes in the country’s capital. Retired Lt. Col. Mark Cancian told “Morning in America with Hena Doba” that it is “surprising” that the U.S. put troops on the ground: “The military operation, while brilliant, is only a tool. What really matters are the political situation and the legal situation, and those are very much up in the air.”
How was the operation planned?
Trump initially confirmed the attack on social platform Truth Social after several explosions erupted in the capital city of Caracas and low-flying aircraft were seen flying above. Trump later said there were a few injuries but no U.S. deaths during the operation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military operation required months of planning.
“Nicolás Maduro had his chance, just like Iran had their chance. Until they didn’t and he didn’t,” Hegseth said. “He effed around, and he found out.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Cane said the plan came into formation in early December and that the “extraction” of Maduro involved “more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere.”
Where is Maduro now?
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are in United States custody heading to New York, where they will face criminal charges, a senior government source tells NewsNation. They could be in court as early as Monday, the source tells NewsNation, but exact timing has not been determined.
The two have been indicted on narco-terrorism, drug and weapons charges, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced hours after he was captured.
In an interview Saturday morning, Trump praised the U.S. troops and equipment.
“This could not have been better,” Trump told Fox News.
Bondi initially announced the indictment on X, saying, “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
She continued, “On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”
The Venezuelan government issued a statement denouncing the “extremely serious military aggression.” Maduro had declared a national emergency and mobilized defense forces, according to the statement issued before his arrest.
US warned the region
The strike comes as the United States has ramped up its pressure against alleged drug smuggling boats off the coast of Venezuela.
The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela advised American citizens to shelter in place and issued a “do not travel” alert to the country.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert at 1 a.m. ET covering all of Venezuela, citing “safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.” All U.S. air and commercial carriers are prohibited from operating in the nearby airspace.
Witnesses saw airplanes, loud noises and at least one column of smoke in the Venezuelan capital, Reuters reported. The southern area of the city near a major military base was without electricity.
“The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance,” Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, told The Associated Press. “We felt like the air was hitting us.”
Maduro said earlier Friday he was open to holding talks with the Trump administration over drug trafficking.