In a stunning revelation, former US President Donald Trump and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, have detailed the execution of a massive military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of the country's President, Nicolás Maduro. The operation, described as unprecedented since World War II, was announced on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
An Unprecedented Display of Military Power
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Donald Trump stated that he directed the United States Armed Forces to conduct what he called an "extraordinary" overnight mission in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. He emphasized that the assault utilized overwhelming force across all domains.
"Overwhelming military power — air, land and sea — was used to launch a spectacular assault, an assault like people have not seen since World War Two," Trump told reporters during the press conference. He was flanked by General Dan Caine, who oversaw the operation's planning and execution.
Trump framed the mission's objective as bringing the "outlaw dictator Nicolás Maduro to justice." He claimed the operation successfully neutralised all of Venezuela's military capacities, rendering them powerless during the raid.
The Night Raid in Caracas: Darkness and Capture
The former President provided dramatic details of the capture, stating that Maduro was apprehended "in the dead of night." He described a scene where the city of Caracas was plunged into intentional darkness to aid the operation.
"It was dark. The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have," Trump said, without elaborating on the technical specifics. "It was dark. It was deadly."
He confirmed that Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, was also captured alongside the Venezuelan leader. Both are now set to face justice in the United States, according to Trump's statements.
A Flawless Operation with Zero US Losses
One of the most highlighted aspects of the operation, as presented by Trump, was its apparent flawless execution with no American casualties. He stressed that the mission was a testament to US military competence.
"Not a single American service member was killed, and not a single piece of American equipment was lost," Trump declared. He noted the involvement of "many helicopters, many planes, many, many people" in the complex fight.
In a bold claim of American exceptionalism, Trump concluded that "no nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday" in terms of the operation's scale, speed, and success. The details provided mark a significant and controversial escalation in US intervention in Venezuela's prolonged political crisis.
