> At a Glance
> – Donald Trump confirms U.S. forces carried out “large-scale strikes” in Venezuela on Jan. 3
> – Nicolás Maduro reportedly captured and flown out after rejecting exile ultimatum
> – Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as Trump warns she could face “bigger” consequences
> – Why it matters: The U.S. now asserts direct control over Venezuela’s oil and government
President Donald Trump says he ordered military action against Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro dismissed a pre-new-year demand to resign and leave for Turkey, then danced on TV while repeating “No crazy war.”
The Ultimatum and the Dance
Maduro’s on-stage dance-televised right after a U.S. strike on a suspected drug-trafficking dock-struck Trump’s team as mockery, two people involved in transition talks told The New York Times.
Within days, Trump posted on Truth Social that “large-scale strikes” had been executed and that Maduro and his wife were captured.
> “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been … captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote.
U.S. to “Run” Venezuela
Speaking from Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 3, Trump declared:
> “We’re going to run the country right. It’s going to be run very judiciously, very fairly. And it’s gonna make a lot of money.”
He added that Venezuelan oil would flow again and be sold to other nations, claiming “they stole our oil” after the U.S. built the industry.
New Interim Leader Warned
With Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as interim president, Trump told The Atlantic:
> “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”
Rodríguez calls the operation an illegal invasion and insists Maduro remains the legitimate leader.
Key Takeaways
- Trump confirms military action after Maduro’s televised dance and refusal to exit
- Maduro, 63, is accused of drug trafficking and using oil money to fund crime-charges he denies
- U.S. now claims control of Venezuelan oil sales and governance
- Interim leader Rodríguez, 56, faces Trump’s warning of harsher consequences if she resists
The operation, Trump says, ended with Maduro raising his hands and surrendering: “He gave up … and he did the right thing.”
