WASHINGTON, D.C. January 3, 2026 – In a bold military operation that has sent shockwaves across the globe, U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale strike on Caracas early Saturday morning. President Donald Trump confirmed the capture, stating that the couple was flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in the Caribbean, before heading to New York to face federal charges.
The operation, executed by the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force, involved airstrikes that disrupted power in parts of the Venezuelan capital and a rapid raid on one of Maduro’s fortified safe houses. Trump described the mission in a phone interview with Fox News, saying U.S. troops moved so quickly that Maduro couldn’t secure the steel doors of his bunker. “They went by helicopter,” Trump said of the extraction, adding that he monitored the raid in real-time from Mar-a-Lago alongside military leaders. There were “a few injuries but no deaths on our side,” according to the president.
A photo released by the White House on X (formerly Twitter) shows Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, blindfolded, wearing ear protection, and dressed in casual athletic wear while holding a water bottle. The post, captioned “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” has garnered over 10,000 likes and thousands of reposts, sparking a flurry of online reactions. Trump also shared the image on Truth Social, emphasizing the success of the mission.
The strikes mark the most direct U.S. intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama and follow months of escalating tensions. U.S. military assets, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group with over 4,500 Marines, had been positioned in the region since mid-December as part of counternarcotics operations. A CIA source inside the Venezuelan government reportedly aided in tracking Maduro’s location.
Maduro and Flores face indictments in New York federal court on charges related to drug trafficking and weapons smuggling. Trump noted in his statements that the couple’s transfer to the U.S. is underway, with Maduro expected to stand trial in Manhattan.
International reactions have been swift and divided. The Venezuelan government denounced the action as an “imperialist attack” and called for citizens to protest.Leaders from countries including Russia, China, and several Latin American nations expressed condemnation, while others, such as opposition figures in Venezuela, hailed it as a step toward ending Maduro’s authoritarian rule. Analysts describe the move as the “most strident foreign military intervention” of Trump’s presidency.
On social media platform X, the news exploded with users sharing the White House photo and debating its implications. Posts ranged from celebratory memes labeling it “Iraq 2.0” to critical comments accusing the U.S. of oil-driven imperialism. One user quipped, “The Democrats would want him to get free healthcare and voting rights on that boat,” while others in Venezuela and abroad expressed shock and calls for regional stability.
The full ramifications of the operation remain unclear, but it signals a dramatic shift in U.S.-Venezuela relations, potentially paving the way for new leadership in the oil-rich nation amid ongoing humanitarian and economic crises. The White House has not yet detailed plans for post-Maduro governance, though Trump hinted at supporting a transition to democracy.
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