Live updates: Trump says U.S. to ‘run’ Venezuela after Maduro’s capture in overnight attack – NBC News

Both Trump and Rubio expressed concerns about the leadership in Cuba, which has close economic ties to Venezuela.

Trump told the news conference it was a “failing nation,” while Rubio called it “a disaster.”

“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people who are forced out of Cuba and living in this country,” Trump said.

Rubio said Venezuelans should declare independence from Cuba, adding that Cubans were among the guards who helped protect Maduro. “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit,” he said, referring to Cuba’s capital city.

It would be “very tough” for Venezuela’s opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado to become president, Trump told the news conference.

“She doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” he said.

President Donald Trump says the removal of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro from power will open the door to the country’s vast oil reserves, a move that has the potential to reshape the global energy market.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country,” Trump said during a press conference in Mar-a-Lago.

“They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been,” he said.

Venezuela’s vast oil reserves are the largest in the world, likely the equivalent of about 300 billion barrels, according to the Energy Institute, a research firm. Those reserves top even the No. 1 OPEC oil-producing country, Saudi Arabia.

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Trump said he had not discussed Maduro during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

“I’m not thrilled with Putin,” he said. Asked whether he was mad with his Russian counterpart, Trump replied, “He’s killing too many people.”

He added that he was “not happy” about the number of people killed in the war in Ukraine.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn is as president of the country, Trump said today.

“She’s, I guess, the president,” Trump said. “She had a long conversation with Marco and said we’ll do what you need. She had no choice.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with Rodriguez, and she has agreed to work with the U.S., he added.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration contacted members of Congress “immediately” following the operation in Venezuela.

“We called members of Congress immediately,” Rubio, a longtime Maduro hawk, said. “This is not the kind of mission that you can do congressional notification on. It was a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night.”

Marco Rubio in Palm Beach, Fla., today. Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Speaking alongside Trump, he added that the Venezuelan president “had multiple opportunities to avoid this.”

“He was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers, and chose instead to act like a wild man, chose instead to play around,” he said. “And the result is what we saw tonight.”

As the night began, “helicopters took off with the extraction force, which included law enforcement officers, and began their flight into Venezuela,” Chairman of Joints Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, told the news conference.

Forces were protected by “the United States Marines, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the Air National Guard,” he said, adding that B1 Stealth bombers were in the sky.

“We arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m.,” he said, before an “apprehension force descended and moved with speed, precision and discipline.”

Maduro and his wife then “gave up” and were “taken into custody by the Department of Justice,” he said.

Trump indicated that the U.S. military would be on the ground in Venezuela following strikes on the country.

“We’re going to have presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil, because we have to have, we were sending our expertise in,” he said during a press conference today. “So you may need something, not very much.”

Earlier, asked whether U.S. troops would be deployed in Venezuela, Trump said, “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground.”

“We had boots on the ground last night at a very high level, actually, we’re not afraid of it,” he said. “We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly.”

The fact the U.S. did not inform Russia about its actions “felt like a slap in the face” to President Vladimir Putin, the country’s former deputy foreign minister told NBC News.

“Putin did not expect this,” said Andrei Fedorov. “The Americans described this option as a last resort and promised to inform Russia of any actions,” he added.

“Honestly, it felt like a slap in the face to Putin,” he said, adding that Trump had betrayed his Russian counterpart.

“This situation puts Russia in a very difficult position,” Fedorov, who maintains close ties to the Kremlin, said. Moscow, he added, “will lose its oil contracts there and its influence.”

The U.S. military spent months studying Maduro to “understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets,” Chairman of Joints Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at a press conference standing alongside Trump.

More than 150 aircraft were part of the operation. One U.S. aircraft was hit but remained flyable.

“Operatives had to choose the right day to minimize the potential for civilian harm and maximize the element of surprise and minimize the harm,” he said.

When the “weather broke just enough,” a path cleared “that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through.” At 10:46 p.m. ET, Trump “ordered the military to move forward,” Caine added.

In a brief speech, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Trump’s leadership and extolled the efforts of military and law enforcement, saying the raid was “flawlessly executed.”

Hegseth said Trump is “deadly serious” about stopping the flow of gangs, violence and drugs.

Pete Hegseth speaks to the press at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., today. Jim Watson / AFP – Getty Images

“Nicolás Maduro had his chance, just like Iran had their chance until they didn’t, and until he didn’t. He effed around and he found out,” Hegseth said.

He concluded by saying, “Welcome to 2026, and under President Trump, America is back.”

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who says he won the July 2024 presidential election against Maduro, released a statement on Saturday after the U.S. strikes against the country. The U.S. and several other countries called into question the controversial presidential election that Maduro claimed to have won.

Retweeting Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado’s statement about the incident, González Urrutia wrote: “Venezuelans, these are decisive hours, know that we are ready for the great operation of the reconstruction of our nation.”

González Urrutia issued his statement before President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would take control of Venezuela.

U.S. companies will enter Venezuela, spend billions and “start making money for the country,” Trump told the news conference, adding that the country’s oil business has been a “bust.”

The “partnership” will make the people “rich, independent and safe,” he said. Venezuelans living in the U.S. will be “extremely happy,” he added.

The U.S. is “ready” to stage a second “and much larger” attack on the country if needed, he said.

Maduro and his wife will “face the full might of American justice” and stand trial in the United States, Trump said.

“Right now, they’re on a ship, they’ll be heading to, ultimately, New York, and then a decision will be made, I assume, between New York and Miami or Florida, but we have people where the overwhelming evidence of their crimes will be presented in a court of law,” Trump said.

Maduro was indicted earlier today and charged with narco-terrorism and other crimes.

Trump accused Maduro of allowing drugs to be trafficked into the United States and prompting gang violence in U.S. cities.

The U.S. strike in Venezuela, which removed President Nicolás Maduro, has raised questions about executive authority and congressional oversight, according to one former military officer.

“Quite clearly, it is an act of war,” said retired Col. Gregory A. Daddis. “I think that certainly is not simply within the executive authority, that Congress has to be a part of that conversation, as I would argue, the American public.”

There has been “very little debate within the legislative branch,” he told NBC News. “As far as I can tell right now, the Senate Armed Services Committee wasn’t even notified of the military strike. There’s no congressional oversight or authorization.”

No nation in the world “could achieve was America achieved yesterday,” Trump told the news conference.

“It was dark, the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,” he said, without giving further details. “It was dark. It was deadly.” Venezuelan forces were “completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated,” he said.

“Not a single American service member was killed, and not a single piece of equipment was lost — many helicopters, many planes, many people involved in air flight,” he added.

The U.S. is “going to run the country,” Trump said of Venezuela at a news conference today, following the U.S. capture of the Venezuelan leader.

“We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transitions,” he said. “So we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in and the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.”

“We’re there now,” he added. “So, we’re going to stay until such time as we’re going to run it essentially until such time as a proper transition can take place.”

Trump is beginning to address the nation, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, standing alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Donald Trump, alongside John Ratcliffe, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press in Palm Beach, Fla., today. Jim Watson / AFP – Getty Images

“At my direction, the United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela,” Trump said. “Overwhelming American military power, air, land and sea, was used to launch a spectacular assault, and it was a an assault like people have not seen since World War II.”

JetBlue, United and Southwest airlines all issued statements about a wave of flight cancellations in the Caribbean, Central American and South American regions.

JetBlue said in a statement that it canceled roughly 215 flights in the regions, and that affected customers can rebook their travel or request a refund. Flights into and out of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica remain unaffected, the airline said.

United said that it was “adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures in the Venezuela region on Saturday.” Some of United’s flights to and from countries including Aruba, Antigua, Barbados, Curaçao, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia and Trinidad have been disrupted, according to the company’s website.

Southwest said it canceled all of its flights to and from Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba, and suspended flights to and from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico until 3:30 p.m. Central Time. The airline said flights to and from the Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic remain unaffected.

President Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social today appearing to show Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in captivity.

A photo released by the White House on Truth Social appears to show Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.  via TruthSocial

“Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” he posted on Truth Social, referring to the amphibious assault ship in the U.S. navy.

The photo appears to show Maduro blindfolded and wearing headphones, dressed in a grey tracksuit and holding a bottle of water.

Capturing Maduro “sends a horrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders across the globe that targeting a head of state is an acceptable policy for the U.S. government,” said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J.

Kim, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, also accused the Trump administration of “[rejecting] our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.”

Kim also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for telling senators in a briefing weeks ago that U.S. actions against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea weren’t “about regime change.”

At a news conference last month, Rubio was asked directly about whether the U.S. was planning to initiate regime change in Venezuela.

Maduro supporters raised clenched fists as they gathered in the streets of the Venezuelan capital today after U.S. forces captured him.

One was pictured saluting and holding up a newspaper reading: “Maduro: I am going to continue in the streets with the people.”

It is not known how many people rallied after the government called on Venezuelans to take to the streets and protest against the U.S. action.

Federico Parra / AFP – Getty Images

Federico Parra / AFP – Getty Images

Pedro Mattey / AFP – Getty Images

Competing figures inside Venezuela’s ruling elite are vying for power following Nicolás Maduro’s capture amid uncertainty over whether the U.S. is willing to pursue a broader regime change in the country, according to one expert in the region.

“There are two sets of actors to keep an eye on,” said Dr. Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow for Latin America, U.S. and North America at the London-based think tank Chatham House, pointing to “the civilian face of the Maduro government,” including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez.

“They have a lock on a constitutional path to inherit Maduro’s seat in Miraflores Palace,” he told NBC News, but added that “many people have alleged, with reason, that the 2024 elections last year were stolen from the opposition.”

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado today hailed U.S. strikes on her country and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, saying “the hour of freedom has arrived.”

“Starting today, Nicolás Maduro faces international justice for the heinous crimes committed against Venezuelans and citizens of many other nations,” she said in a written statement. “In response to his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the government of the United States has fulfilled its promise to enforce the law.”

Some 8 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent years, amid a worsening economy, international isolation and political repression.

“The time has come for Popular Sovereignty and National Sovereignty to govern our country. We are going to restore order, free political prisoners, build an exceptional nation, and bring our children back home,” the statement added. “We have fought for years, we have given everything, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi today posted an unsealed indictment in the case of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.  Federico Parra / AFP – Getty Images file

Federal prosecutors alleged that Maduro “is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”

Since Maduro’s “early days in Venezuelan government” he has “tarnished every public office he has held,” they wrote.

The use of military force to remove Venezuela’s president is effectively a “kidnapping” and violates core principles of the United Nations Charter, an expert in international law told NBC News.

“If you detain someone unlawfully, if you take someone into your custody, and you do not have the legal right to do that, then what else would you call it?” said Mary Ellen O’Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School.

“The United Nations Charter makes it very clear that there are very few times when a country has the right to carry out military force on the territory of another country,” she added. “And it never has the right to do that in order to bring an individual out to stand trial before their courts.”

Countries “could use military force if they’d been invaded or attacked,” but that there was “no U.N. Security Council authorization for bringing Maduro out of Venezuela and using military force in order to do it,” she said.

For some Venezuelans, the capture of President Nicolas Maduro would mark a huge victory for the people of that country.

“I’m extremely happy. It’s a sensation that finally people understood that Venezuela was no longer a democratic country,” said Raquel De Faria, a Venezuelan-Brazilian doctor who grew up in Venezuela and left the country in 2018 due to the ongoing political and economic situation.

Venezuelans living in Chile celebrate today. Javier Torres / AFP – Getty Images

Trump “took the reins,” she added. “The reality is that they are a narco-government, and that needed to be controlled.”

It is “a great conquest,” she said. “I feel like something huge was accomplished, a victory, and what a start of the year for Venezuela.”

The next 48 hours in Venezuela could prove decisive, with risks of civil conflict and uncertainty over whether U.S. involvement escalates, according to one analyst.

“I think the next 48 hours are probably the most crucial in this entire scenario,” said Brian Fonseca, director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy. “There is a pathway that could lead to pronounced civil conflict, and may force the Americans to double down even more.”

Fonseca cautioned that removing President Nicolás Maduro does not automatically dismantle the power structures around him, and that “taking Maduro out doesn’t necessarily mean that the regime goes away.”

“You have a political, military elite that are as tied to the survival of Maduro as Maduro himself, in many ways,” he told NBC News.

President Donald Trump approved the U.S. military and law enforcement actions in Venezuela more than a week ago, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning.

Approval for the plan came before Christmas, and apparently when the mission would actually occur has been discussed almost hour by hour since then.

Trump said that he expects the U.S. to get “very strongly involved” in the future of Venezuela’s oil industry now that Maduro is no longer in control of it.

“We have the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest, the greatest, and we’re going to be very much involved in it,” he said on Fox News.

Any major U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry could be seismic for the industry, although establishing the infrastructure to drill, store and exporting that oil would likely take years to materialize.

The country currently sits on the largest proven oil reserves in the world, surpassing even the reserves of Saudi Arabia, according to the Energy Institute.

On X, Vice President JD Vance said “the stolen oil must be returned to the United States.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is “deeply alarmed” by the recent escalation in Venezuela and concerned the U.S. operation will have potentially worrying implications for the region.

“These developments constitute a dangerous precedent,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect — by all — of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”

In a phone call with Fox News, the president called his critics “weak, stupid people,” when asked directly about criticism he’s facing from Democratic lawmakers for taking action in Venezuela without congressional approval.

“Well, look, these are weak, stupid people,” Trump told “Fox & Friends,” this morning, adding, “They’re trying to save themselves from almost destroying our country.”

“As far as last night is concerned, it was really genius. What they did is genius, and the Democrats, maybe they’ll take a shot, you know? They’ll take a shot. All they do is complain,” the president added later. “They should say, ‘You know what, we did a great job.’ … They do say, ‘Oh, gee, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we’ve been hearing for years and years and years.”

Schneyder Mendoza / AFP – Getty Images

SCHNEYDER MENDOZA / AFP – Getty Images

Venezuelan civilians, appearing to flee the country, gather at the border crossing in the town of Cucuta, Colombia, this morning, following a large-scale U.S. military operation to remove President Nicolás Maduro.

Asked whether he would support María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader who last year won the Nobel Peace Prize, as the nation’s next president, Trump told Fox News, “Well, we’re going to have to look at it right now.”

“They have a vice president, as you know,” Trump added before casting doubt on whether Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was duly elected.

“I mean, I don’t know what kind of an election that was. But, you know, the election of Maduro was a disgrace,” the U.S. president said.

Trump then went on to compare Maduro’s election to his failed re-election bid in 2020, which Trump has falsely claimed for years was “rigged” against him. Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

Maduro’s election in Venezuela, “just like my election, was a disgrace,” Trump said, adding, “2020 was a disgrace.”

“[Maduro] had an election that was a rigged election, and the people have no love for him, that’s for sure. He had very little loyalty, if any loyalty. He was a dictator,” the U.S. president said.

Chevron, the only U.S. oil company that currently operates in Venezuela, says it is focused on the well-being of its employees after the U.S. struck Venezuela overnight.

“Chevron remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets,” a company spokesperson said. “We continue to operate in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.”

The energy giant operates in Venezuela with the permission of the Trump administration through a license that allows it to export oil despite sanctions on the nation.

During an interview on Fox News, the U.S. president confirmed that Maduro and his wife are being flown to New York, where they were indicted.

“They’ll be heading to New York. You know, they were indicted in New York,” Trump told “Fox & Friends.”

He confirmed that they were taken to the USS Iwo Jima and then “they’ll be heading into New York. … They went by helicopter.”

Today’s strikes will shape the Trump administration’s legacy.

This is also a new day for Latin America. With this regime change operation, the government of Venezuela has been decapitated.

If the Venezuelan opposition, which claimed victory in the July 2024 elections, is able to come to power and work cohesively with the existing military, then today’s strikes will be considered one of Trump’s greatest military accomplishments.

If, however, the Venezuelan military divides, a new leader resembling Maduro emerges, and the country descends into civil war, then today may be permanently considered Trump’s greatest failure.

The Trump administration is obviously hoping for the former.

In a phone call with Fox News, the U.S. president said that the strikes on Venezuela and the capture of Maduro were slated to happen four days ago, “but the weather was not perfect.”

“The weather has to be perfect,” he said.

“We had, you know, very good, a little bit few more clouds than we thought, but it was good,” he added. “We waited four days. We were going to do this four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, and then all of a sudden, it opened up, and we said go.”

In a live phone call with Fox News, Trump said that he watched the military operation in real time from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

“I was able to watch it in real time, and I watched every aspect of it, and I listened to the communication between, you know, where we were in Florida and out in the field in Venezuela,” the president told Fox News. “It was amazing to see the professionalism, the quality of leadership, the professionalism.”

Trump added later, “It’s been amazing to see how good they were, how professional they were, how incredible the equipment we have is — I mean, the level of equipment and to see how it worked so perfectly.”

He also indicated that the U.S. military suffered no casualties during the operation, saying, “To have a few injuries, but no death on our side, is really amazing.”

The president compared the military operation to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan during the Biden administration. “We’re not a laughingstock anymore,” he said.

In case any government missed the message in 2025, this year has begun with a kinetic declaration from the Trump administration — bend to our will. The initial reaction from America’s allies has been cautious, with European leaders calling for “restraint.” Every friendly government will be trying not to elicit the wrath of Trump through their reaction.

America’s adversaries have been quick to speak out: Cuba denounced the strike and Iran condemned it. The removal of Maduro, an ally of the Iranian regime, is another blow for Tehran just as it faces significant internal protests. Just yesterday, Trump threatened strikes against Iran if it targeted protesters.

Russia, another supporter of Maduro, called it “armed aggression against Venezuela,” saying the strikes were “concerning and condemnable,” but offering Moscow as a diplomatic player that can help ensure stability. Vladimir Putin will be calculating that being seen to help Trump over Venezuela may, in turn, help him as he negotiates over Ukraine. 

Perhaps the most important reaction will be from China. The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy, published in late 2025, cited the biggest threats to the U.S. in the Western hemisphere as migration, drugs, crime and China. China has made inroads with trade and rare minerals in South America. Now it is watching the U.S. reassert itself. 

All of these U.S. adversaries and allies will know that what happens next in Venezuela is unpredictable. Many will be watching and waiting.

Vice President JD Vance said Venezuela’s “stolen oil” must be returned to the U.S., following strikes on the nation this morning and the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro.

“The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States,” Vance posted on X. “Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.”

The U.S. seized oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast in the past month, ordered a blockade of all sanctioned tankers while working to prevent them from going in and leaving the country.

Addressing those who have criticized the U.S. operations in Venezuela today as illegal, Vance said: “Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas.”

Passengers were experiencing long delays at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico, this morning.

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP – Getty Images

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP – Getty Images

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP – Getty Images

The island’s largest civilian airport said a temporary airspace restriction had been imposed by order of the Federal Aviation Administration as a result of the situation in Venezuela, with most commercial flights operated by U.S. airlines canceled.

Venezuela’s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, said innocent civilians have been killed in today’s strikes.

Speaking to Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Saab reiterated demands for proofs of life of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

“I hold the government of the United States of America directly responsible for any circumstance that may befall our president and leader of the Bolivarian Revolution,” he said.

He urged people to calmly take to the streets and denounce the “massive violations of human rights that have occurred today” at the hands of the U.S. administration.  

Blasts, aircraft and black smoke could be seen across Caracas from about 2 a.m. ET, according to video verified by NBC News.

Fire and smoke billowed at La Guaira port, as explosions continued to ring in the background.

Helicopters are seen flying over Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as explosions illuminated the night sky. Other footage from the capital showed cars driving breathtakingly close to areas hit by the strikes, weaving around huge pits of fire and debris. 

The U.K. was not “involved in any way” in U.S. operations in Venezuela, said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who added he was seeking more information before commenting on today’s events.

“It is obviously a fast-moving situation and we need to establish all the facts,” he said in remarks recorded for U.K. broadcasters. He added that he had not spoken to President Trump since the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

“What I can say is that the U.K. was not involved in any way in this operation,” he said.

Smoke rises from the Port of La Guaira in Caracas this morning. Jesus Vargas / Getty Images

A number of U.K. lawmakers have already condemned U.S. actions in Venezuela, but Starmer said he wanted “to establish the facts first.”

“I want to speak to President Trump,” he said. “I always say and believe we should uphold international law. But I think at this stage, fast-moving situation, let’s establish the facts and take it from there.”

Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, an outspoken critic of the Trump administration’s previous military actions on alleged drug-trafficking boats linked to Venezuela, said his government was closely monitoring the situation and called for “de-escalation”.

“International law and the principles of the U.N. Charter must be respected,” he wrote on X.

The European Union’s top diplomat called for restraint and respect for international law following the U.S. strikes on Venezuela.

“I have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our Ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela,” Kaja Kallas said on X.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, in New York City in September. Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images

The European Union has repeatedly said Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro “lacks legitimacy” and has defended a “peaceful transition” of power.

“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” Kallas added.

President of the European Council António Costa echoed Kallas’ sentiments in a later post on X, urging de-escalation and maintaining that the E.U. “will continue to support a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive solution in Venezuela.”

U.S. military fighter jets sit on the tarmac at José Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, this morning.

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP – Getty Images

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP – Getty Images

The U.S. strikes on Venezuela violate international law and seriously threaten stability in the broader region, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the foundation of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the prohibition of the use and threat of force.” 

The strikes clearly violate the U.N. Charter’s Article 2, the Foreign Ministry added, and urged the immediate cessation of “any act of aggression again the Venezuelan government and people.”

Mexico reiterated its willingness to facilitate, mediate and support dialogue between the U.S. and Venezuela. 

Members of the Venezuelan community in Miami gathered after President Trump announced a series of strikes on the country and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump said on social media that Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country” following the strikes.

In a post on X this morning, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife are in U.S. custody and said that the Venezuelan leader had been indicted in the Southern District of New York.

“Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolás Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi wrote on X.

She added: “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. 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.”

A senior law enforcement official confirms to NBC News that Maduro was newly indicted and that Bondi was not referring to a 2020 indictment of Maduro and others in the Southern District of New York.

The United States hit Venezuela with a “large-scale strike” early Saturday and President Trump said its longtime leader, Nicolás Maduro, was captured and flown out of the country along with his wife.

Below are scenes that followed, from evacuations in the capital to civilians taking to the streets in support of Maduro.

Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas today. Cristian Hernandez / AP

Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas today. Cristian Hernandez / AP

Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro embrace in downtown Caracas today, after President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country. Cristian Hernandez / AP

Venezuelans display a poster of support for Maduro in Caracas today. Cristian Hernandez / AP

President Donald Trump declined to say whether he sought congressional approval before launching strikes on Venezuela and seizing the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, The New York Times reported.

“We’ll discuss that,” Trump told the newspaper during a 50-second phone interview shortly after he announced the operation. “We’re going to have a news conference.”

Trump also praised the forces that took part, saying a lot of “good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people” had been involved.

The U.S. strikes on Venezuela are prohibited under international law, but a possible criminal trial for Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. could still go ahead, according to one analyst.

Fire is seen at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas today. STR / AFP via Getty Images

“International law prohibits the use of force as a means of national policy,” said Professor Marc Weller, director of the international law program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.

Force is “only available in response to an armed attack or possibly to rescue a population under imminent threat of extermination,” he added. “Clearly, none of these requirements are fulfilled by the armed operation against Venezuela.”

The U.S.’s interest in repressing the drug trade or its claims that the Maduro government was in essence a criminal enterprise “offers no legal justification,” according to Weller.

However, he said a trial for Maduro could go ahead, citing precedent from the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and the capture of its President Manuel Noriega, who was brought to Miami for trial over alleged drugs offenses.

“U.S. courts follow the so-called Kerr-Frisbie doctrine,” Weller said. “According to that controversial doctrine, it does not matter how a suspect is brought before a U.S. Court. A trial can go ahead, even if it results from an unlawful armed intervention or abduction, provided the suspect has not been severely tortured in the process.”

The extent of the U.S. military’s role in today’s strikes on Venezuela and the capture of its leader Nicolás Maduro remains unclear, as does the authority under which those involved were operating.

While it appears from what we have seen so far that U.S. law enforcement led the operation, more information is needed to determine what other U.S. agencies may have been involved.

The U.S. military appears to have helped determine where American law enforcement needed to target to capture Maduro and his wife, but that has not been confirmed by the Trump administration. The military’s role remains unknown, as does the authority under which they may have been operating.

A burned out vehicle at La Carlota air base in Caracas this morning. Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images

The U.S.’s legal justification for these strikes also remains unclear, as well as the administration’s longer-term goal beyond the removal of Maduro from office.

Video verified by NBC News does appear to show transport helicopters present.

We can also see smaller helicopters, and while we can’t yet identify what kind of aircraft these are, we do know that a U.S. Air Force unit, known as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, has assets in the area.

We have not seen any indication that there was any immediate response to the strikes by Venezuela. 

A group of Venezuelans gathered to celebrate following the U.S. strikes on the nation and after President Trump said President Nicolás Maduro had been captured.

Footage captured by Noticias Telemundo showed dozens of people gathered by a gas station in Miami waving flags and dancing to music.

The group can be heard cheering, singing and jumping, many of them wearing flags as capes. One lady, standing up through the sunroof of a large car, was seen waving a massive flag above the vehicle.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long a hawk on Venezuela’s government, this morning reposted a statement from July about President Nicolás Maduro.

In the original post, Rubio noted that in 2020 Maduro was charged by U.S. prosecutors with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges.

He also restated claims that Maduro is the head of the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. alleges operates within the Venezuelan armed forces.

Rubio has not commented publicly on the strikes.

Cars wait to fill up at a gas station in Valencia, Venezuela, this morning, following the U.S. overnight strikes and the capture of President Maduro and his wife.

Juan Carlos Hernandez / Reuters

It is unclear what the Trump administration’s plan is regarding the future of Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s whereabouts are not known and it is unclear if the U.S. has a strategy beyond removing him from power.

Trump has historically adopted a ‘long-arm U.S. force’ approach, prioritizing air and naval power and avoiding putting U.S. boots on the ground in conflict zones. We will have to wait and see if that approach continues with regard to Venezuela.

In the coming days, we will also be closely watching how Venezuela’s allies, particularly China and Russia, choose to respond.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely not be happy with this latest escalation and it may affect his dealings with the U.S. government going forward. 

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged calm and called on his countrymen to trust in the country’s leadership following the apparent capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking on national television, Cabello said Venezuelans should not fall into “despair” and avoid making it easier “for the enemy invader, the enemy terrorist that cowardly attacked us.”

Cabello also echoed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, saying the U.S. attack claimed the lives of civilians.

“Beyond one of us or any of us, here is one country that’s organized, one country that knows what it needs to do,” Cabello said.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the U.S., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah said today after a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubio “informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges,” he posted on X.

Lee added that Rubio had told him he anticipates “no further action in Venezuela” now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.

The Senator had earlier publicly questioned the U.S. action in Venezuela, asking what, “if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war.”

But he appeared to distance himself from the statement following the call with Rubio, saying that the “kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”

“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” he added.

Venezuela’s defense minister today vowed a “wall of resistance” against what he characterized as U.S. imperialism.

In a defiant address, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López called the bombing of Caracas and the surrounding areas illegal.

“Far from a supposed fight against narcoterrorism, this deplorable action seeks to definitively force a regime change and subject us to the spurious designs of North American imperialism,” Padrino López said.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López this morning. @padrinovladimir / Instagram

The strikes hit urban areas with civilians, and a tally of possible injuries and deaths was ongoing, he said.

“They have attacked us, but they will not make us bend. United, soldier and civilian, we will form an indestructible wall of resistance,” the defense minister said.

“We who extend the hand in brotherhood today close the fist in defense of what is ours,” Padrino López said.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelled the U.S. strikes on Venezuela a “deeply concerning” act of aggression.

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded,” it said in a statement.

Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning. Cristian Hernandez / AP

The Foreign Ministry said Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own future and joined calls for an immediate meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

“Latin America must remain a zone of peace,” it said.

Venezuela’s vice president has demanded that the U.S. show proof that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores are alive.

Speaking via phone call on state television station Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Delcy Rodríguez said the whereabouts of Maduro and the first lady are unknown. Her remarks followed Trump’s announcement on social media that the United States captured Maduro and flew him out of Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in Caracas last year. Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images

“In the face of this brutal situation and in the face of this brutal attack, we do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. We demand from the government of President Donald Trump immediate proof of life of President Maduro and of the first lady,” Rodríguez said.

Rodríguez condemned the “savage” attack on Venezuela and said officials, soldiers and civilians had been killed. An official tally of casualties has not been released.   

Some Republicans have praised President Trump for the strikes on Venezuela this morning.

“Thank you President Trump for your leadership & resolve and to our brave service members who have conducted a stellar military operation,” Rep. Carlos Giminez, R-Fla., posted on X. “Our community is forever grateful & our country is safer than ever!”

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., also praised Trump for his “decisive leadership.”

“Our country has faced an unprecedented national security threat from the illegitimate Maduro regime,” he said.

The U.S. charged Nicolás Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges in his absence in 2020, during the last Trump administration.

“For more than 20 years,” Maduro and a number of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, “causing tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities,” then-Attorney General William Barr said at the time.

“As alleged, the defendants betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions to line their pockets with drug money,” he added.

Maduro, whose whereabouts are currently unknown after Trump said he was “captured” by U.S. forces, was Venezuela’s vice president for the economy at the time of the charges.

Large smoke clouds rise following explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in Caracas this morning.

AFP – Getty Images

A Trump ally is among U.S. Senators who have criticized the U.S. action in Venezuela this morning. 

“I look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz, said there was “no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

“This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year,” he said. 

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii also echoed Gallego’s comments on X, saying: “We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now.”

The U.S. embassy in Venezuela has warned any U.S. citizens there to “shelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so.”

The advisory also recommends establishing “multiple methods of communication with friends and family outside of Venezuela.”

A woman follows news of explosions in Caracas this morning.  Boris Vergara / Anadolu via Getty Images

It reminded citizens of a previous advisory issued in December to avoid travel to the South American country. The past State Department guidance cited “the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.”

In Caracas, there’s a strong smell of gunpowder and smoke at this hour. We haven’t heard any explosions for a while. However, there’s a palpable atmosphere of tension amidst what’s happening with these detonations.

The Caracas skyline following a series of explosions this morning.  Federico Parra / AFP – Getty Images

Trump in October declined to answer whether the CIA had the authority to remove Maduro, but said the country was “feeling heat.”

Asked whether the CIA had authority to “take out” the president of Venezuela, Trump in October said: “Oh, I don’t want to answer a question like that. That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”

“I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” he added. “But I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat, too.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in August.  Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images file

This morning, in the wake of Trump’s confirmation that the U.S. was behind the strikes, the White House’s rapid response X account posted a video with remarks from Trump on Oct. 17, during which the president said Maduro “doesn’t want to f— around with the United States.”

President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been “captured and flown out of the country.”

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Venezuela has not confirmed Maduro’s whereabouts.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump added. “There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned Saturday’s strikes in Venezuela, calling on all governments and international organizations to do the same.

“The American military attack on Venezuela is a clear violation of the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law,” it said in a statement published by Iran’s semi-official news agency, Tasmin, on Telegram.

The United States has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.

Venezuelan forces patrol the streets in Caracas this morning. Miguel Gutierrez / EPA via Shutterstock

Iran urged the international community to take “immediate action” to stop the “illegal” escalation against Venezuela, arguing it is a blatant violation of Venezuela’s national “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”  

Iran has been close to Venezuela for years, in part due to their shared enmity of the U.S.

The President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel has condemned the strikes on Venezuela, labelling them an act of “state terrorism.” 

“Cuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on Venezuela,” he said in a post on X. 

Cuba and Venezuela are strong allies based on ideology, politics and economics. Cuba has sent thousands of doctors, military advisors and other professionals to Venezuela in exchange for oil.

Flames rise after a series of explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in capital Caracas this morning.

Luis Jaimes / AFP – Getty Images

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has declared a state of external emergency across the entire nation, according to Venezuelan state TV channel TeleSUR, following what his government has described as “serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.”

The decree allows Maduro to restrict certain constitutional rights, to mobilize armed forces, and to take extraordinary measures for a period of time.

Pedestrians near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning. Cristian Hernandez / AP

The Mexican embassy in Venezuela urged calm this morning amid multiple explosions in the South American country.

In a post on X, the embassy instructed Mexican citizens to follow orders from local officials and have documents, water and medicine handy. It also provided an emergency phone number for Mexican citizens to contact the embassy.

The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited flights over Venezuela due to a “potentially hazardous situation.”

The FAA issued a NOTAM, or “Notice to Air Missions” for the Maiquetia Flight Information Region, which includes Venezuela.

The NOTAM cites “ongoing military activity” and says it applies to all U.S. carriers. The FAA said it was an emergency order.

All commercial flights in Venezuela are canceled, Noticias Telemundo reported.

Today’s strikes could be the latest escalation in a larger pressure campaign by the U.S. to persuade Maduro to leave Venezuela, although the Trump administration has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.

Trump last month said it would be smart for Maduro to step down and said he would not rule out war with the South American country.

Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation.

If Maduro remains defiant in the face of these latest strikes, and his inner circle remains loyal to him, it’s possible we’ll see further escalation.

Members of the presidential guard and soldiers guard the area around Miraflores, the presidential palace, after a series of explosions were heard in Caracas today.

Cristian Hernandez / AP

Cristian Hernandez / AP

Fort Tiuna, one of the sites where Noticias Telemundo reports there was an explosion, is a major Venezuelan military complex in the Caracas metropolitan zone. The Ministry of Defense, the military’s general command, and the official residence of La Viñeta — where the Venezuelan vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, lives — are all located there.

The brother of a senior NBC News producer was “woken up by the sound of bombs” in Caracas where he lives, the producer said during live coverage of the unfolding situation in Venezuela.

The family’s home is in the same neighborhood as a military base in Caracas, NBC News senior producer Geraldine Cols Azocar, who is Venezuelan, said in a phone interview early Tuesday.

Helicopters flew overhead, and “immediately within minutes of the first couple of bombs falling they lost electricity,” she said.

Family members were “hunkering down,” Cols Azocar said.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had said he is open to negotiating with Washington to combat drug trafficking in the first sign that sustained U.S. pressure is taking its toll on the embattled South American leader.

“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” Maduro said in a taped interview aired Thursday on state TV channel teleSUR.

But in his wide-ranging conversation with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, he declined to comment on an alleged ground attack on a docking facility along Venezuela’s shoreline last month, which some media reports said was conducted by the CIA.

Read the full story.

A statement from the Venezuelan government said it “rejects, condemns and denounces” what it described as “serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.”

The U.S. government has not claimed responsibility for the explosion.

“This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, especially Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of states, and the prohibition of the use of force. Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and places the lives of millions of people at grave risk,” the statement read.

Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Matias Delacroix / AP

We hear minor explosions and planes flying above right now. Venezuelans are trying to reach family members abroad to get a better understanding of what is happening in their country. 

There is a mountain between my residence and the Fort Tiuna base, one of the sites where an explosion occurred. The flashes of light from the Fort Tiuna military base are visible above the mountain; that is, even though there’s a mountain separating me from the base, I can see the flashes of the explosions — so we can infer they are very intense.

TeleSUR, a Venezuelan state TV channel, on a post on X, shared a statement from the Venezuelan government.

“Venezuela denounces the United States’ aggression against Venezuelan territory and population in the civil and military locations in the city of Caracas, the states Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira,” the official communication from the government said.

No American government agencies have confirmed any involvement or claimed responsibility for the explosions.

Helicopters were seen flying in the sky over Caracas early Saturday while flashes were seen on the ground, according to video from the Reuters news agency.

Nine helicopters were seen in the video. There were flashes and smoke that appeared to be from explosions on the ground.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X that “Caracas is being bombed right now.”

Petro said the purported bombing was happening with missiles, and called on the Organization of American States and the United Nations to meet immediately.

At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 a.m. local time Saturday in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.

This comes as the U.S. military has been targeting, in recent days, alleged drug-smuggling boats.

On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking.

The South American country’s President Nicolás Maduro also said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday that the U.S. wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.

The Trump administration has ramped up the pressure on Venezuela and its President Nicolás Maduro, including military strikes on what the U.S. says have been drug-smuggling vessels.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. had “knocked out” a facility tied to Venezuela.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy took control of a tanker known as the Skipper in December and the Trump administration said they intend to seize it. The Trump administration alleged the tanker was being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

There was a loud bang around 2 a.m. local time that caused windows to rattle and the unmistakable sounds of aircraft.

The reports of explosions come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Venezuela, but the cause of the sounds is not clear.

Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Matias Delacroix / AP