US President Donald Trump has claimed he watched, in real time, as American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a dramatic cross-border operation, describing the moment as something straight out of a television thriller.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Fox News on Saturday, Trump said the operation unfolded before his eyes, leaving him stunned by its speed and intensity.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. I was able to watch it in real time,” Trump said. “I watched it, literally, like I was watching a television show. And if you would have seen the speed, the violence.”
According to Trump, US special forces stormed what he described as a heavily fortified location where Maduro had been hiding, following months of pressure and planning. He said the Venezuelan leader and his wife were taken into custody and transferred to a ship, from where they would be moved to New York to face drug trafficking and terrorism-related charges.
Trump, who made the remarks from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, gave a vivid account of the raid, claiming Maduro was inside a secure compound designed to withstand an assault.
“He was in a very highly guarded place like a fortress,” Trump said. “It had steel doors and a safety space that was solid steel all around. He was trying to get into it, but he got bum-rushed so fast that he didn’t make it.”
He added that US forces were equipped with industrial tools to breach the structure if needed, but the speed of the operation made them unnecessary.
Trump said he had authorized the mission several days earlier, but poor weather delayed the final execution until Saturday. He also claimed he had personally warned Maduro a week earlier to surrender.
“I told him, ‘You have to surrender,’” Trump said.
He emphasized that no American troops were killed during the operation, though he acknowledged that a small number sustained injuries.
“A couple of guys were hit, but they came back and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape,” he said, adding that a US helicopter was damaged but managed to fly out safely.
Trump framed the raid as a message to both adversaries and neighbors, saying it showed the United States would no longer tolerate threats or intimidation.
“This sends a signal that we’re not going to be pushed around as a country anymore,” he said, warning that Mexico must also take stronger action against drug cartels.
US Officials Hail Operation, Dismiss Legal Concerns
Senior US officials echoed Trump’s triumphant tone while brushing aside questions about the legality of capturing a sitting foreign leader.
Vice President JD Vance said on X that Maduro could not evade justice simply because of his position.
“You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” Vance wrote, adding that Maduro had ignored multiple chances to step aside peacefully.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, face indictments in the Southern District of New York, including charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, and firearms offenses.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil, in American courts,” Bondi said.
The indictment against Maduro dates back to 2020, while charges against Flores had not previously been made public. Last year, Trump’s administration also raised the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million, accusing him of leading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns.”
Politics, Peace, and Contradictions
Trump’s aggressive stance toward Venezuela has been justified by claims that the country fuels drug trafficking into the US and unlawfully seized American oil interests. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Maduro was not the legitimate president, citing elections widely criticized by international observers.
The reported capture of Maduro, alongside recent US military actions elsewhere, has also reignited debate over Trump’s self-image as a “peace president.” Despite the show of force, Trump has continued to frame his broader vision in idealistic terms.
Asked on New Year’s Eve about his resolution for 2026, he replied simply: “Peace on Earth.”
As reactions continue to pour in globally, the dramatic claims surrounding Maduro’s capture are certain to fuel intense political, legal, and diplomatic debate in the days ahead.
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