US President Donald Trump has released what he described as the first image of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro aboard a US warship, hours after American forces captured him in a high-risk military operation. The photograph, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account, shows Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded under military custody. Calling the mission “a brilliant operation,” Trump told The New York Times that US forces had safely exited Venezuelan airspace following the strike.
No Fatalities Are Reported In Attack
He later said on Fox & Friends that while some American troops were injured during the operation, no fatalities were reported. The removal of Maduro marks a serious escalation in Trump’s second-term foreign policy, reinforcing his willingness to deploy US military power despite repeated assertions of avoiding prolonged wars.
Trump Signals Unilateral Military Doctrine
The Venezuela operation follows earlier US strikes ordered by Trump on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, signalling a more aggressive posture against perceived adversaries. Saturday’s action has sparked anxiety in global capitals, particularly among countries attempting to adapt to what analysts describe as a new geopolitical reality under Trump 2.0, one where multilateral consensus on war and peace appears secondary to unilateral action.
Venezuela has condemned the operation, while several nations have sought urgent clarification on Maduro’s status and the legal basis of the strike. The development comes as Trump reiterated warnings to Iran over violent crackdowns on protesters and reaffirmed his administration’s stated goal of asserting US dominance in the Western Hemisphere, as outlined in his recently released National Security Strategy.
Trump To Run Venezuela
In the recent most updates, US President Donald Trump has made a dramatic assertion that the United States will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious” political transition is put in place. The statement came during a press conference at Trump’s Florida residence, held hours after US special forces carried out an unprecedented operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
“We are going to run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said.
