Oil CEOs tell Trump Venezuela is 'currently uninvestable' despite $100B post‑raid push
After a U.S. military operation seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face a superseding SDNY narco‑terrorism indictment, President Trump said the U.S. would "run" Venezuela during a transition, control sales of tens of millions of barrels of oil and urged companies to invest "at least $100 billion" to rebuild its oil industry. At a White House meeting, major oil executives declined to commit — Exxon called Venezuela "currently uninvestable" without sweeping legal and commercial reforms, ConocoPhillips sought financing and guarantees, Chevron stressed caution and compliance, and smaller firms signaled more willingness — highlighting industry hesitation amid legal, political and geopolitical fallout.
📌 Key Facts
- The U.S. conducted a large‑scale overnight military operation (Operation Absolute Resolve) involving roughly 150 aircraft and special‑operations forces that seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from a fortified residence at Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas; one U.S. helicopter was damaged, seven U.S. service members were reported injured (no confirmed U.S. deaths), and Maduro and Flores were flown to the United States and are being held in federal custody in New York awaiting arraignment on a superseding Southern District of New York indictment charging narco‑terrorism, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi and DOJ unsealed a superseding SDNY indictment against Maduro, Cilia Flores and associates alleging long‑running state‑facilitated drug trafficking (including multi‑ton shipments and links to multiple cartels and gangs) and related violent acts; Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court.
- President Trump publicly said the U.S. would "run" Venezuela during a transition, threatened additional military action if interim authorities did not cooperate, and announced plans to control and sell 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil with proceeds overseen by the U.S.; the White House convened a Jan. 9 meeting with executives from major oil firms and other industry participants to press for at least $100 billion in investment to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
- At the White House meeting, major oil CEOs — including Exxon's Darren Woods and ConocoPhillips’ Ryan Lance — expressed caution: Exxon described Venezuela as "currently uninvestable" without major legal, contractual and security changes; ConocoPhillips said large investments would require extensive financing talks and export‑credit support; Chevron emphasized safety, asset integrity and sanctions compliance, while some independents (e.g., Hilcorp) signaled greater willingness to engage.
- Analysts and industry sources warned large‑scale Venezuelan investment faces steep barriers: production and infrastructure are severely degraded (current output under ~1 mb/d), independent modeling estimates roughly $183 billion to restore prior capacity, global oil markets were oversupplied (~2 mb/d) with prices near $60/bbl (below the ~ $80/bbl breakeven cited for new Venezuelan projects), and companies require durable investor protections and clarity on contracts, sanctions and security.
- The raid and rendition prompted sharp international and domestic backlash: Russia, China, Cuba and many Latin American governments condemned the operation as a violation of sovereignty and international law, the U.N. warned it could set a dangerous precedent, and regional responses ranged from calls for de‑escalation to praise from a few allies; Venezuela’s Supreme Court and military backed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president while opposition leaders remain largely sidelined or exiled.
- The operation provoked urgent U.S. political fallout and oversight activity: Congressional Democrats and some Republicans called for war‑powers scrutiny, Senate action advanced a Tim Kaine resolution to limit further hostilities (with five GOP senators joining Democrats in a rare rebuke), leaders sought classified briefings, and public opinion was divided domestically.
- Reports from multiple sources document divergent casualty and damage claims (Venezuelan and Cuban officials reported dozens to over a hundred killed, U.S. officials acknowledged seven U.S. service members wounded), parallel cyber and maritime actions (including seizures of sanctioned tankers and an oil "quarantine"), and extensive information‑operations activity and social‑media misinformation in the immediate aftermath.
📊 Relevant Data
Indigenous peoples, who make up 2.8% of Venezuela's population, are disproportionately affected by oil exploration and production, with groups like the Warao and Karinas experiencing land overtaking, pollution, and displacement due to oil activities in their territories.
Assessment for Indigenous Peoples in Venezuela — Minorities at Risk (MAR)
In Venezuela, White individuals in the 18-24 age group have twice as much access to education as Black individuals, reflecting broader racial disparities in educational opportunities.
Venezuela Country Report 2024 — BTI Transformation Index
Black and Indigenous populations in Latin America, including Venezuela, experience disadvantages in education, income, and occupation compared to White populations, with these groups facing higher poverty rates.
Racial and Ethnic Inequality in Latin America — Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
📊 Analysis & Commentary (11)
What History Does—and Doesn’t—Teach Us About Regime Change
"An opinion deep‑dive arguing that historical lessons about regime change are nuanced: dramatic kinetic successes (like the Maduro raid) can work tactically but too often fail strategically without legal clarity, post‑capture political planning, and attention to institutional context."
Trump weighs more military action
"A Politico Playbook analysis criticizes and contextualizes the U.S. capture and New York arraignment of Nicolás Maduro as part of a broader, alarming shift toward an interventionist Trump foreign policy — one that openly talks about 'running' Venezuela and prioritizing access to oil, sidestepping legal and democratic norms and raising major geopolitical and domestic questions."
What You Need to Know About Venezuela’s New President
"A cautious deep‑dive arguing that Delcy Rodríguez’s emergence after the U.S. capture of Maduro creates a complicated, possibly pragmatic opening for engagement — but one fraught with legal, legitimacy and security risks."
Trump Was Right About Venezuela
"This City Journal opinion defends President Trump’s raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, arguing the operation was justified by Maduro’s alleged narco‑terrorism, the threat he posed to U.S. security and regional stability, and the potential to restore freedom and prosperity in Venezuela."
Trump 2.0 goes global
"The Politico Playbook piece reads the Maduro operation as a signature moment of 'Trump 2.0' — a more interventionist, headline‑driven global posture that may yield short‑term gains but creates legal, diplomatic and strategic hazards (including unintended political outcomes in Venezuela)."
Welcome to Chaos World
"An opinion critique that reads the U.S. raid on Nicolás Maduro as emblematic of a dangerous, chaotic foreign‑policy approach—legally dubious, strategically short‑sighted, and likely to produce repression and wider instability rather than durable gains."
MORNING GLORY: The United States is now 'running' Venezuela after Maduro ouster
"A pro‑administration opinion piece defending Trump’s remarks that the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela after Maduro’s capture, arguing critics misinterpret rhetorical stewardship as legal responsibility and downplaying claims that the U.S. is culpable for post‑raid repression."
Was Trump’s Maduro operation illegal? What international law has to say
"The Fox News opinion piece argues that, while the Maduro capture appears to breach the UN’s ban on force, international law’s recognition/consent rules (and the U.S. recognition of González) provide a plausible legal justification for the operation, even as the author concedes risks of abuse and doctrinal complexity."
The Good Fight Club: Maduro’s Capture, Trump’s Foreign Policy Vision, and the Future of American Power
"An opinion piece that reads the Maduro capture as a defining test of the Trump administration’s assertive, resource‑driven foreign policy — praising decisiveness in principle but warning that unilateral raids, control of oil revenues and blurred legal justifications risk damaging U.S. legitimacy, provoking international backlash, and creating costly, long‑term strategic liabilities."
Affordability … by way of regime change?
"A Playbook commentary warning that President Trump’s bold Venezuela operation risks derailing Republicans’ affordability messaging unless the White House can credibly tie regime‑change outcomes (oil deals, border and drug impacts) to voters’ pocketbook concerns, while noting early GOP fissures such as a war‑powers vote."
🔬 Explanations (2)
Deeper context and explanatory frameworks for understanding this story
Phenomenon: Democratic senator's shift from criticizing Trump for inaction against Maduro to criticizing aggressive intervention
Explanation: Partisan incentives in a polarized political environment lead opposition politicians to criticize presidential foreign policy actions to score political points and maintain party unity, regardless of consistency with prior positions
Evidence: Analysis shows that congressional positions on foreign policy often flip depending on which party holds the presidency, as seen in historical examples like support for interventions under different administrations, driven by electoral dynamics and party loyalty
Alternative view: Genuine policy evolution based on changing circumstances or claims of being misled by the administration
💡 Challenges the narrative of principled criticism by highlighting systemic partisanship over substantive policy concerns
Phenomenon: Trump's unilateral military operation to arrest Maduro without congressional approval
Explanation: The destruction of institutional mechanisms intended to discipline presidential power has enabled unchecked executive actions in foreign policy, allowing operations like the Maduro arrest to proceed without oversight
Evidence: Expert assessment traces how successive administrations have expanded executive authority in military matters, bypassing Congress, leading to policies that prioritize presidential discretion over constitutional checks
Alternative view: Motivations include personal animosity toward Maduro, desire to revive the Monroe Doctrine, or economic interests in resetting Venezuela's oil sector
💡 Complicates the coverage's focus on Trump's vanity or distractions by emphasizing broader institutional failures in constraining executive power
📰 Source Timeline (127)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 09, 2026
10:19 PM
U.S. oil giants tell Trump they're noncommittal on Venezuela
New information:
- At the White House meeting, Exxon CEO Darren Woods publicly described Venezuela as 'currently uninvestable' absent 'significant changes' to commercial frameworks, durable investment protections and hydrocarbon laws.
- ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance told Trump that any major investments would require extensive talks with banks and likely Export‑Import Bank support to restructure Venezuela’s debt and finance infrastructure rebuilding.
- Chevron, the only U.S. major still operating in Venezuela, issued a post‑meeting statement emphasizing its focus on safety, asset integrity and strict compliance with U.S. sanctions, signaling caution rather than new expansion commitments.
- Independent producer Hilcorp’s chair Jeffery Hildebrand said his firm is 'fully committed and ready to go' to rebuild Venezuelan infrastructure, in contrast with the majors’ hesitancy.
- Trump told executives that companies would be 'dealing with us directly' rather than with Venezuelan authorities, but did not detail security guarantees or commit to a specific U.S. military presence.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in pre‑meeting TV interviews, said capital would mainly come from private markets and suggested the Export‑Import Bank might offer 'credit support' for large projects while downplaying direct U.S. financial assistance.
8:51 PM
Trump pauses oil exec summit to peek at White House ballroom's progress
New information:
- Article names a detailed attendee list of companies at the White House oil summit, including Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Continental, Halliburton, HKN, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Trafigura, Vitol Americas, Repsol, Eni, Aspect Holdings, Tallgrass, Raisa Energy and Hilcorp.
- Confirms that the meeting took place in the White House East Room and that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were present.
- Quotes Trump explicitly describing a plan for the companies to invest at least $100 billion “to rebuild the capacity and the infrastructure necessary” in Venezuela and to have the U.S. immediately begin refining and selling up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
- Adds Trump’s on-the-record assertion that the new White House ballroom, now under construction where the East Wing stood, will be able to host inaugurations with bulletproof glass and drone‑proof ceilings, linking its design to security needs.
- Clarifies that the ballroom project is being privately funded and that the White House says it will be completed before the end of Trump’s term in 2029, and that construction is currently ahead of schedule and under budget.
3:53 PM
Trump is meeting with oil executives to seek investments in Venezuela
New information:
- Specifies that the oil executives’ meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 at the White House.
- Lists 17 invited firms and names several key participants, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Trafigura (Singapore-based), Eni (Italy-based) and Repsol (Spain-based).
- Notes that Chevron still operates in Venezuela while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips previously had projects nationalized in 2007 under Hugo Chávez.
- Reports Trump’s pre‑dawn social media claim that “at least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL” and that the U.S. will control sales of 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil “indefinitely.”
- Adds that large U.S. oil companies have so far been reluctant to affirm investments absent contracts and guarantees, and that Trump has floated U.S. backing to “backstop” such investments.
- Highlights that Venezuela’s oil production has fallen below 1 million barrels per day and that a key challenge is convincing companies that relations with interim President Delcy Rodríguez will be stable and investor protections will exist.
- Confirms that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives’ meeting.
2:34 PM
Trump to meet with big oil executives at White House about Venezuela
New information:
- Identifies specific CEOs/companies attending the White House Venezuela meeting: Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Continental, Halliburton, HKN, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Trafigura, Vitol Americas, Repsol, Eni, Aspect Holdings, Tallgrass, Raisa Energy and Hilcorp.
- Names senior officials expected at the meeting: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
- Quotes White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers saying the talks will cover 'investment opportunities that will restore Venezuelan oil infrastructure.'
- Reports Trump told Fox News he expects oil companies to spend at least $100 billion to 'rebuild the whole oil infrastructure' in Venezuela.
- States that U.S. forces have seized a fifth Venezuela‑linked oil tanker on Friday as part of the ongoing 'quarantine' campaign.
- Notes Rubio’s public statement that the U.S. will soon begin selling up to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil on the open market and that the U.S. will control the proceeds.
- Provides industry context that Chevron has been the only major U.S. oil company with a presence in Venezuela since nationalization, and that other firms’ entry may take years due to political risk and heavy crude challenges.
10:29 AM
Trump calls off "second wave of attacks" on Venezuela
New information:
- Trump’s Truth Social post explicitly states he has 'cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed' because Venezuela is 'releasing large numbers of political prisoners' and 'working well together' with the U.S.
- He specifies that all U.S. ships deployed around Venezuela will remain in place 'for safety and security purposes' despite the canceled second wave.
- Trump is scheduled to meet Friday at 2:30 p.m. at the White House with executives from what he calls the 'top 14' oil companies to press them to re‑enter Venezuela and invest 'at least $100 billion' to 'rebuild the whole oil infrastructure.'
- The article notes that Energy Secretary Christopher Wright met with oil executives earlier in the week as part of the same push.
- CBS News quotes Trump describing the Venezuela raid that captured Nicolás Maduro as an 'incredible military maneuver' with 'tremendous impact on everything.'
- Asked about a possible 'Trump doctrine,' Trump characterizes his Venezuela approach as 'a doctrine of "don't send drugs into our country"' rather than a broader ideological framework.
- The piece reiterates that five Republicans joined Democrats in a Senate vote to advance a resolution limiting future strikes on Venezuela, described as a rare rebuke of Trump’s war powers.
- Trump says he plans to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado next week, while questioning whether she has enough support to replace remaining Maduro‑loyalist officials.
10:02 AM
President Trump says there won't be a 'second Wave of Attacks' against Venezuela due to their 'cooperation'
New information:
- Trump publicly states he has 'cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks' against Venezuela, citing the country's 'cooperation.'
- He claims Venezuela is releasing 'large numbers of political prisoners' as a gesture of 'seeking peace.'
- Trump says U.S. and Venezuela are 'working well together' on plans to rebuild Venezuela’s oil and gas infrastructure in a 'much bigger, better, and more modern form.'
- He asserts that 'at least 100 Billion Dollars' will be invested by 'Big Oil' and that he will meet those companies at the White House the same day.
- Trump says all U.S. ships will 'stay in place for safety and security purposes' despite the cancellation of the second wave of attacks.
4:33 AM
Trump discusses expansion of drug cartel crackdown, issues grim warning to Iran
New information:
- Trump, in his first sit-down interview since Maduro's capture, elaborates on the Caracas raid, saying Maduro’s residence was inside a fortified position with 'thousands' of troops and praising General 'Razin Caine' and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a plan that allegedly avoided U.S. casualties.
- He claims an unspecified number of Cuban soldiers were 'wiped out' in the operation and questions whether Cuba can survive without Venezuelan money and oil, emphasizing Cuba’s reliance on Caracas for both funding and protection.
- Trump says Venezuela has agreed to release 'all political prisoners' and that the post‑raid Venezuelan authorities have 'given us' everything the U.S. has asked for.
- He states revenue from Venezuelan oil, which he describes as worth 'billions and billions,' will benefit both Venezuelans and Americans, and announces a White House meeting with executives from the 'top 14' oil companies to 'rebuild the entire oil infrastructure' in Venezuela.
- Trump confirms Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has offered him her Nobel Peace Prize for 'liberating' Venezuela, calls it a potential 'great honor,' and says she will visit the White House next week.
January 08, 2026
11:25 PM
Zinke supports Trump action in Venezuela but sees no basis for action in Greenland
New information:
- Rep. Ryan Zinke tells PBS he opposes congressional efforts to limit Trump’s authority in Venezuela, saying he will 'stand with the Constitution, Article I. The president has that authority.'
- Zinke argues Trump was justified in removing Maduro by analogy to the Panama invasion, citing Maduro’s alleged narcotrafficking, a 52‑page indictment, and claims that Maduro was not a legitimate leader due to a fraudulent election.
- Zinke says the key question in Venezuela now is 'what next' and describes the Monroe Doctrine as a 'two‑way street' that imposes a U.S. responsibility to help set conditions for Venezuela to prosper after Maduro’s removal.
- Pressed on Trump’s threats of unilateral action elsewhere, Zinke states that in Greenland the conditions that justified Venezuela’s raid do not exist — Greenland is 'no threat,' has a 'duly elected authority,' and therefore military action there would require congressional approval.
- Zinke suggests that in countries like Colombia, where leaders are duly elected but drug trafficking is ongoing, the president still has a constitutional responsibility to protect the U.S. from drug threats, framing narcotics as potentially comparable to missile threats.
7:49 PM
Pilot who helped plan Venezuelan operation wounded in Caracas, sources say
New information:
- Provides additional operational detail on the underlying Caracas raid, including the engagement of Venezuelan defensive positions, suppressive fire from U.S. helicopters, and damage to a lead MH‑47 Chinook.
- Clarifies that the Chinook pilot, identified by officials as a key planner of the mission, was wounded multiple times in the leg but the aircraft completed its insertion run.
- Adds a Pentagon casualty update specifying two U.S. service members are still recovering and five others were injured and have returned to duty, which contextualizes the War Powers debate over ongoing hostilities.
7:06 PM
Trump blasts 5 Republicans for war powers vote
New information:
- Trump explicitly named Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley and Todd Young in a Truth Social post and said they 'should never be elected to office again' for supporting the Venezuela War Powers resolution.
- In the same post, Trump labeled their vote 'stupidity.'
- Trump again asserted that the War Powers Resolution itself is unconstitutional.
6:58 PM
Venezuela Says It Will Release Political Prisoners as Peace Gesture
New information:
- Venezuelan authorities publicly linked prospective political-prisoner releases to easing tensions with the Trump administration after Maduro’s capture.
- Jorge Rodríguez framed the step as a goodwill effort rather than purely domestic reform, indicating the regime is reacting to U.S. military and political pressure.
6:48 PM
In war powers vote on Venezuela, Senate offers rare rebuke of Trump
New information:
- Identifies that the Senate vote on the Tim Kaine War Powers resolution took place Jan. 8, 2026, and that it narrowly passed a key test vote.
- Specifies that five Republicans joined all Democrats in favor, explicitly framing it as a 'significant rebuke' of the Trump administration.
- Notes that the resolution is the Senate’s second attempt to restrain Trump’s Venezuela actions, including prior airstrikes on alleged drug boats.
- Adds that the measure now heads to a final Senate vote next week and that a similar resolution had been rejected by the House last month, but House Democrats reintroduced it on Jan. 8.
- Provides expert context from political scientist Sarah Burns about how War Powers Resolution has been used historically and GOP arguments that it does not apply because they frame the raid as a 'law enforcement operation.'
6:27 PM
Trump lashes out at GOP senators who voted to limit Venezuela war powers
New information:
- President Trump publicly attacked the five Republican senators who voted to advance the Venezuela War Powers resolution, saying they 'should never be elected to office again' and that 'Republicans should be ashamed' of them.
- The article lists the five GOP senators Trump targeted: Todd Young (Indiana), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Josh Hawley (Missouri).
- The piece highlights that Trump’s rebuke of Josh Hawley is notable given Hawley’s prior record of strong support for Trump’s agenda.
- It adds on‑record explanations from Collins, Young and Hawley for their votes, stressing concerns about Trump’s comments on 'boots on the ground,' 'running' Venezuela, and the need for congressional approval before putting troops into hostilities.
- The article notes that two earlier War Powers efforts around maritime strikes on alleged drug‑smuggling boats failed for lack of GOP support, indicating this is a shift in Republican behavior.
6:21 PM
Trump blasts GOP war powers defectors, says they 'should never be elected to office again'
New information:
- Direct Truth Social quote from Trump stating that Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young 'should never be elected to office again.'
- Trump’s fuller statement that Republicans 'should be ashamed' of these senators for voting with Democrats and that the vote 'greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security.'
- Quoted statement from Sen. Susan Collins saying she supported the operation to seize Nicolás Maduro but opposes committing additional U.S. forces or long‑term involvement in Venezuela or Greenland without specific congressional authorization.
- Trump’s characterization of the War Powers Act as 'unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me,' and his tease that a 'more important Senate Vote' on the subject is coming next week.
- Explicit linkage in Collins’ rationale to both Venezuela and Greenland as theaters where she opposes further deployments absent authorization.
4:46 PM
GOP senators join Democrats to stop Trump from policing Venezuela
New information:
- Reports that the Senate passed an initial War Powers Resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, aimed at ending further U.S. military operations involving Venezuela without explicit congressional approval.
- Identifies five Republican senators — Rand Paul (co‑sponsor), Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Todd Young and Josh Hawley — who broke with party leadership to support the resolution.
- Details that this floor action handed Senate Majority Leader John Thune a rare defeat and that a second vote with a 60‑vote filibuster threshold will still be required.
- Provides on‑the‑record comments from Sen. Josh Hawley that the administration told senators there are currently no boots on the ground in Venezuela but that 'everything is an option' going forward.
- Notes Republican leadership’s defense of the operation, with Sen. John Barrasso calling it an 'incredible act' and saying Republicans broadly support what Trump has done.
4:21 PM
Venezuela says 100 were killed in US operation to capture Maduro: report
New information:
- Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello now alleges that roughly 100 people were killed in the U.S. raid that captured Nicolás Maduro.
- The Venezuelan army has published a list identifying 23 of its dead personnel from the operation.
- Cuba’s government asserts that 32 of its military and police officers died in combat supporting Venezuela during the U.S. mission and has publicly listed their identities.
- The U.S. administration acknowledges seven U.S. service members were injured, with two still recovering, describing the mission as extremely complex and grueling.
3:29 PM
Republicans embrace Trump's Venezuela operation
New information:
- A new YouGov poll conducted Jan. 5–6 finds nearly three‑quarters of Republicans now somewhat or strongly support using U.S. military force to invade Venezuela, up from 53% in a Jan. 2–5 Economist–YouGov poll and 43% in a Dec. 20–22 survey.
- The same YouGov survey reports 78% of Republicans approve using U.S. military force specifically to capture Nicolás Maduro.
- Across all U.S. adults, just over half (51%) oppose using military force to invade Venezuela, and 46% disapprove of using the military to capture Maduro.
- A separate Reuters–Ipsos poll found 65% of Republicans, 11% of Democrats and 33% of all adults support the U.S. military action to remove Maduro.
- On potential action against Greenland, only 11% of Republicans and 4% of Democrats support taking Greenland by military force, while 40% of Republicans support the U.S. taking control of Greenland without using force.
- Roughly similar shares of Democrats (49%) and Republicans (48%) say a new election should be the next step in Venezuela, while Trump has publicly said there is "no way" Venezuelans can vote until the U.S. helps "fix the country" and has emphasized rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry with American companies in the lead.
3:04 PM
WATCH LIVE: Senate expected to vote on war powers resolution to limit Trump after Venezuela raid
New information:
- The Senate is set to vote Jan. 8, 2026 on a war powers resolution requiring President Trump to obtain congressional approval before conducting further strikes on Venezuela.
- Sen. Tim Kaine forced the vote and framed it as a move to bring secret military action into the open and reassert congressional control over war powers.
- Republican Senate leaders, including Majority Leader John Thune, publicly back Trump’s Venezuela operation and argue it demonstrates 'peace through strength.'
- Key Republican senators such as Susan Collins and Thom Tillis say they are still weighing how to vote; Tillis says he would not support putting U.S. troops on the ground in Venezuela without congressional authorization.
- A similar war powers resolution narrowly failed in November, with only GOP Sens. Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski voting in favor at that time.
- The piece outlines that the administration has relied on shifting legal rationales — counterterror authorizations for boat strikes and law-enforcement authority for Maduro’s seizure — for its broader regional campaign.
1:04 PM
US may be involved in Venezuela for years, Trump says
New information:
- Trump told The New York Times he expects the U.S. will be 'running Venezuela and extracting oil from its reserves for years' after the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro, explicitly rejecting a 6‑ to 12‑month timeline.
- Trump reaffirmed that the U.S. will 'run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,' but gave no date for elections.
- He said Venezuela will turn over 30–50 million barrels of 'high‑quality' sanctioned oil to the U.S., to be sold at market price with Trump controlling proceeds that he claims will 'benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States,' and shipped directly to U.S. unloading docks via storage ships.
- Trump acknowledged the U.S. is recognizing Maduro’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez, not opposition leader María Corina Machado, as Venezuela’s new leader and said Rubio and Rodríguez 'speak all the time.'
- He described the interim government as 'giving us everything that we feel is necessary,' while again omitting any concrete election timetable despite Venezuela’s prior democratic history.
11:52 AM
Trump lays out Venezuela oil strategy as Democrats push for war powers vote
New information:
- Updates congressional response by noting a specific third Senate war powers vote expected late Thursday morning on Sen. Tim Kaine’s resolution requiring removal of U.S. forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela not authorized by Congress.
- Includes direct, on‑the‑record floor remarks from Kaine warning the administration anticipates 'a few years of U.S. occupation and involvement in this country' and arguing, 'This is not an arrest warrant. This is far bigger than that.'
- Adds Sen. Rand Paul’s characterization that 'bombing a capital and removing the head of state is by all definitions, war,' underscoring bipartisan concern about constitutional authority.
- Reports a new CBS News poll showing just over half of Americans oppose the Maduro removal mission, quantifying domestic skepticism.
11:00 AM
Senators force third vote to limit Trump's strikes on Venezuela
New information:
- The Senate will hold a third vote on a new Tim Kaine war‑powers resolution explicitly targeting U.S. hostilities 'within or against Venezuela.'
- Kaine characterizes administration plans as implying a U.S. occupation lasting 'a few years,' broadening understanding of the intended duration of U.S. control.
- Rand Paul, a Republican co‑sponsor, publicly states that bombing Caracas and removing Maduro is 'by all definitions, war,' sharpening intra‑GOP dissent.
- Speaker Mike Johnson asserts that 'we are not in a war in Venezuela' and describes the actions as limited and behavior‑change oriented, offering a clearer articulation of House GOP leadership’s stance.
- The administration continues to describe the Maduro raid as a 'law enforcement' operation not requiring prior congressional authorization, clarifying its legal rationale in response to war‑powers critics.
2:00 AM
Mark Kelly avoids saying arresting Maduro, Venezuela strikes were 'illegal'
New information:
- Sen. Mark Kelly publicly commented for the first time on the legality of Trump’s Venezuela raid, saying on CNN he would not label the operation 'illegal' but instead raised constitutional questions about using large-scale military force for what he described as a law-enforcement type mission against a head of state.
- Kelly broke with some progressive Democrats who have claimed the Venezuela operation was 'illegal' and 'potentially an impeachable offense,' highlighting internal Democratic divisions over war powers and the legality of the raid.
- Kelly criticized the administration’s post-raid planning, saying it appears to have simply elevated Delcy Rodríguez to power and likening that to a Navy executive officer 'fleeting up' to commanding officer.
January 07, 2026
8:26 PM
GOP lawmaker pushes to free US citizen reportedly detained in Venezuela
New information:
- Rep. Nicole Malliotakis says a constituent, identified in local reporting as James Luckey-Lange, is suspected of being unlawfully detained by the Venezuelan government after traveling there in December.
- Malliotakis’ office says it learned of the case from media reports on Friday, has contacted the U.S. Department of State, and has elevated concerns directly to the White House and the Secretary of State.
- The State Department, according to Malliotakis’ office, has been in contact with the family and is working to confirm whether he is detained, amid long‑standing Level 4 travel warnings for Venezuela due to high risk of wrongful detention.
- The article notes the detention is believed to have begun 'a couple of weeks' before Maduro’s ouster, and that it is unclear whether the American had a visa to enter Venezuela.
7:25 PM
White House says Venezuela’s future 'dictated' by US as Trump embraces ‘American dominance’
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is in 'close coordination with the interim authorities' in Venezuela and that 'their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America.'
- Leavitt framed policy by saying the U.S. has 'maximum leverage over the interim authorities' and that 'American dominance is going to continue' in the Western Hemisphere under President Trump.
- The article reiterates that Delcy Rodríguez is serving as interim president while Trump maintains that the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela until a safe transition can occur.
- Trump said Venezuela's interim government will hand over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., to be sold 'immediately', as part of the post‑raid arrangement.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio described a U.S. 'quarantine' on sanctioned Venezuelan oil, saying Venezuela 'can’t move it unless we allow it to move because we have sanctions, because we’re enforcing those sanctions,' characterizing this as 'tremendous leverage.'
- The piece notes that the U.S. seized two sanctioned tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday as part of the ongoing campaign.
- Leavitt linked U.S. control to goals of halting 'illegal drugs' and 'trafficking [of] illegal people and criminal cartels' from Venezuela to the U.S., citing Trump’s 'peace through strength' foreign‑policy agenda.
6:51 PM
Trump sidelines Venezuela's opposition leader while keeping Maduro's party in power
New information:
- Confirms that after Maduro’s capture and transfer to New York, his vice president Delcy Rodríguez has assumed control in Caracas with the rest of the ruling apparatus remaining in charge.
- Details that President Trump publicly dismissed Nobel Peace Prize–winning opposition leader María Corina Machado as lacking domestic support and respect, and expressed skepticism she could ever lead Venezuela.
- Reports that most major opposition leaders, including Machado, are either in exile or prison, and that Trump’s stance is seen as a major setback to their long‑promised goal of taking power after Maduro’s fall.
- Notes that Venezuelans widely view Machado, not Edmundo González Urrutia (recognized by the U.S. as the legitimate 2024 election winner), as the real victor, and that she remains the main voice of the opposition despite being barred from running.
- Adds that in her first televised interview since Maduro’s capture, Machado continued to praise Trump and did not publicly acknowledge his snub of her movement.
- Quotes Secretary of State Marco Rubio appearing to walk back Trump’s 'we will run Venezuela' language, instead emphasizing U.S. use of control over Venezuela’s oil industry to force policy changes and calling the current government illegitimate.
- Provides expert analysis from Tulane University’s David Smilde that the Trump team was 'unimpressed' with opposition expectations of an instant democratic transition once Maduro was removed.
6:11 PM
Rubio and Hegseth brief lawmakers on "three fold process" for Venezuela
New information:
- Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth held a specific closed‑door briefing for senators on the Maduro capture operation and subsequent U.S. plans, then summarized a 'three fold process' for Venezuela to reporters.
- They framed U.S. leverage over Venezuela as stemming from a continuing 'quarantine' that includes tanker seizures and U.S.-run sales of sanctioned oil, with Washington determining how revenues are distributed.
- Rubio publicly linked stabilization efforts to amnesty and release or return of opposition figures and the rebuilding of civil society in later recovery and transition phases.
4:37 PM
US military action in Venezuela is seen as both a blessing and a curse for Russia's Putin
New information:
- Frames the U.S. ouster of Nicolás Maduro as another Kremlin failure to protect an ally, alongside Bashar Assad’s fall in 2024 and U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
- Reports that Russia stands to lose a strategic foothold in the Western Hemisphere and "billions of dollars" invested in Venezuela’s oil industry as the U.S. moves to establish control.
- Details Dmitry Medvedev’s reaction: he calls the U.S. action completely unlawful but praises Trump for "very aggressively" defending U.S. national interests.
- Notes that on Wednesday the U.S. said it seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela, including one re‑flagged to Russia, in the North Atlantic.
- Explains how the Venezuela operation and Trump’s public interest in wresting control of Greenland from Denmark are seen in Moscow as destabilizing NATO and distracting from U.S.-led Ukraine peace efforts.
- Adds historical context that, according to Fiona Hill, Russian officials informally signaled a possible quid pro quo years earlier: Russia would back off in Venezuela in exchange for U.S. recognition of a Russian sphere of influence in Europe and Ukraine, overtures the Trump administration did not accept.
3:19 PM
Trump: U.S. to get 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela at market price
New information:
- Clarifies that Venezuela’s promised 30–50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. would be sold at market price with proceeds pledged by Trump to benefit people in both countries.
- Reveals the White House has organized a Friday meeting with executives from Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips to discuss opening Venezuela’s oil industry further to U.S. investment and know‑how.
- Provides specific casualty figures from Venezuelan officials: at least 24 Venezuelan security officers killed; Attorney General Tarek William Saab saying 'dozens' of officers and civilians died and calling the operation a 'war crime.'
- Confirms that Cuba reports 32 Cuban military and police personnel were killed in the Caracas raid.
- Updates Pentagon casualty data: seven U.S. service members were injured, with five already back on duty and two still recovering from gunshot and shrapnel wounds.
- Includes Delcy Rodríguez’s public rebuttal to Trump’s threats in a speech to agricultural and industrial officials, framing her fate as determined by God.
- Describes state‑organized rallies and a Venezuelan military tribute video for fallen security personnel, showing some return of crowds to Caracas streets after days of emptiness.
2:24 PM
Homeland Security Dem blasted Trump for not ousting Maduro in 2019, now calls arrest 'above the law'
New information:
- Details that Sen. Chris Murphy, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Homeland Security, posted a series of tweets condemning Trump’s Maduro operation as an illegal war lacking congressional approval.
- Murphy argues the raid is primarily about satisfying Trump’s vanity, advancing a 'neocon grudge' against Maduro, enriching Trump’s oil industry backers, and distracting voters from the Epstein investigation and rising costs.
- He explicitly questions the national-security rationale, noting Venezuela produces no fentanyl and asking how a war in South America helps Americans struggling at home.
- The White House Rapid Response47 operation publicly responded on social media, calling Murphy a 'buffoon' and disputing his claim that the operation has nothing to do with national security.
1:35 PM
Maduro Is Gone, but Repression in Venezuela Has Intensified
New information:
- Venezuelan security forces have spent the past several days interrogating people at checkpoints, boarding public buses and searching passengers’ phones to find evidence that they approved of Maduro’s U.S. capture.
- At least 14 journalists and six citizens were detained in this crackdown, according to Venezuelans in the country and human rights groups, though most have since been released.
- The interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez organized a large, state-led march in Caracas on Tuesday demanding Maduro’s release, even as its security and intelligence apparatus remains intact four days after Trump said the United States would 'run' Venezuela.
- The piece underscores that day‑to‑day life for many Venezuelans has worsened and repression has intensified despite, and in some ways because of, U.S. backing for the interim leadership.
11:45 AM
Trump's Venezuela strategy draws scrutiny from Congress as Maduro sits in jail
New information:
- Maduro is now being held in a Brooklyn jail cell awaiting trial, adding specific location and status to his post‑raid detention.
- The Trump administration will brief all U.S. senators on Wednesday about the Maduro operation, and some Democrats plus Republican Sen. Rand Paul are preparing a war powers vote as early as this week to limit further military action in Venezuela.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said after an earlier leadership briefing that officials 'have no idea what steps 2 through 10 are going to be,' signaling concern over the lack of a clear follow‑on strategy.
- Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth criticized Trump’s assertion he will 'run' Venezuela, saying that if he wants to run a country he should focus on running the United States.
- Denmark and Greenland jointly requested a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after earlier attempts failed, issuing a public statement demanding that the U.S. respect Danish sovereignty over Greenland and warning that talk of coercion undermines NATO principles.
- The White House, via press secretary Karoline Leavitt, reiterated it is considering a 'wide range of options' to acquire Greenland, including possible military seizure, purchase from Denmark, or a compact of free association.
10:00 AM
The world has too much oil right now. Will companies want Venezuela's?
New information:
- Independent modeling pegs the cost of reviving Venezuela’s oil sector to 1990s‑era output at about $183 billion over more than ten years, highlighting the scale of capital Trump is implicitly asking oil majors to commit.
- Global oil markets are currently oversupplied by about 2 million barrels per day, a surplus described by experts as 'a lot,' which is putting downward pressure on prices.
- The global crude benchmark sits just over $60 per barrel, versus an estimated $80-per-barrel breakeven required for new Venezuelan projects to be profitable, making near‑term investment unattractive under current forecasts.
- Analysts stress that beyond fixing degraded infrastructure and security issues, companies must weigh whether Venezuela’s political environment will be stable enough to justify multi‑billion‑dollar long‑term investments, given past expropriations and unpaid awards.
- The piece underscores that, so far, major oil companies have declined to publicly outline any plans regarding new Venezuela investments or to comment for the story.
6:22 AM
Trump leaves Venezuela's opposition sidelined and Maduro's party in power
New information:
- Confirms that after the U.S. raid captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, President Trump has allowed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and other senior regime figures to remain in charge of Venezuela’s government.
- Reports Trump publicly disparaged opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, saying she lacks domestic respect and support and expressing skepticism she could ever lead Venezuela.
- Details that most major opposition figures are either in exile or prison, leaving them largely sidelined during this transition despite years of U.S. backing under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
- Notes that in a Fox News interview Machado effusively praised Trump and his actions as a 'huge step toward a democratic transition' without acknowledging his rejection of her movement.
- Quotes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as appearing to walk back Trump’s 'we will run Venezuela' language by emphasizing that Washington will instead leverage control over Venezuela’s oil industry to pressure policy changes and is calling the Rodríguez‑led government illegitimate.
2:23 AM
Trump presses Venezuela to dismiss agents from China, Russia, Iran and Cuba
New information:
- A U.S. official says the Trump administration is pressing Venezuela’s interim government to dismiss all suspected intelligence agents from China, Russia, Cuba and Iran; the demand does not apply to regular diplomatic personnel.
- Trump has warned that noncompliance by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez with U.S. demands could trigger a second U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
- Trump stated that Venezuela’s interim authorities "will be turning over" between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., to be sold at market price, with him controlling the resulting revenue "to benefit" both Venezuela and the U.S.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio floated an "oil quarantine" concept to pressure Venezuela’s new leaders and increase U.S. leverage over refining Venezuelan crude.
- The White House did not respond to Axios’ request for comment on these specific demands as of Tuesday evening.
1:39 AM
Machado says Venezuelans are "very grateful" to Trump for ousting Maduro
New information:
- Machado told CBS News that Venezuelans are 'very grateful' to President Trump and called Maduro’s arrest a 'major step towards restoring prosperity and rule of law and democracy in Venezuela.'
- She said she has not spoken with Trump this year but used the interview to send him a message: 'Trust the Venezuelan people.'
- Machado framed González’s 2024 election win as a 'landslide' despite alleged fraud and said her coalition has a mandate and is 'ready and willing' to serve, reiterating that 'the people of Venezuela have already chosen.'
- She asserted that 'a wide majority of the military and police in Venezuela also support an orderly transition to democracy' and that 'we have a united country,' while acknowledging fears that narco‑terrorist and foreign‑backed groups might resist a peaceful transition.
- Machado endorsed U.S. oil companies returning to Venezuela and predicted the country would become a 'security ally to the United States' and a place of prosperity to which millions of Venezuelan emigrants could return.
- She alleged that interim president Delcy Rodríguez was 'one of the main architects' of Venezuela’s security state and 'the main link' to Russia and Iran, stressing that 'everybody in Venezuela and abroad knows perfectly who she is and the role she has played.'
- The article quotes Trump’s recent public remark that it would be 'very tough' for Machado to run Venezuela and that she 'doesn’t have the respect,' highlighting that he has declined to back her movement directly.
1:12 AM
Trump to huddle with U.S. oil executives Friday on Venezuela
New information:
- President Trump will meet Friday at the White House with U.S. oil executives, including representatives from Chevron, Exxon and ConocoPhillips, to press them to invest in reviving Venezuela’s oil production.
- Chevron is currently the only U.S. producer operating in Venezuela, under a special U.S. license, while Exxon and ConocoPhillips exited the nationalized sector about two decades ago after a dispute with Hugo Chávez’s government.
- Sen. Edward Markey sent letters Tuesday to the CEOs of Chevron, Exxon and ConocoPhillips demanding details on their communications with the Trump administration about Venezuela and asking whether they had any role in or advance knowledge of the recent U.S. military operation there.
- Industry analysts cited in the article stress that companies would need clarity on Venezuela’s legal, contractual, fiscal and security environment before committing billions of dollars, noting current production is around or below 1 million barrels per day despite more than 300 billion barrels of proven reserves.
- Continental Resources, led by Harold Hamm, has publicly expressed interest in possible future investment in Venezuela if regulatory and political stability improve, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright is also meeting with industry officials at an energy conference in Miami this week.
12:43 AM
Machado says her coalition should lead Venezuela: "We are ready and willing"
New information:
- María Corina Machado told CBS News that 'the people of Venezuela have already chosen' her opposition movement to lead and answered 'absolutely yes' when asked if she should be Venezuela’s next leader.
- She framed retired diplomat Edmundo González, recognized by the U.S. and other governments as the winner of the 2024 election, as the opposition’s 'president‑elect' and part of her coalition’s mandate to govern.
- Machado sharply criticized interim president Delcy Rodríguez as 'nothing like a moderate' whom 'nobody trusts' because of her role in the Maduro regime.
- She publicly thanked President Trump for ordering Maduro’s capture, calling it evidence of his 'leadership and courage' and 'a major step' toward restoring rule of law and democracy in Venezuela, even as Trump has questioned whether she has enough respect to take over.
12:21 AM
Trump says Venezuela to turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil to U.S.
New information:
- Trump now says Venezuelan interim authorities will 'be turning over' between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the U.S.
- He states the oil will be sold at market price and that the resulting revenue will be controlled 'by me, as President of the United States' to benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.
- Trump says he has directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to 'execute this plan, immediately,' with the oil to be taken by storage ships and brought directly to unloading docks in the U.S.
January 06, 2026
11:51 PM
Seven US service members injured in Venezuela raid to capture Maduro, official says
New information:
- Seven U.S. service members were injured in the Maduro capture raid, with five back on duty and two still recovering under what officials describe as excellent medical care.
- U.S. casualty and adversary death counts are specified as 24 Venezuelan security officials and 32 Cuban military/police killed during the raid guarding Maduro.
- Gen. Dan Caine details that about 150 U.S. aircraft, including B‑1 bombers and helicopters from 20 bases, supported the apprehension mission that began around 2:10 a.m. and lasted about two and a half hours.
- A U.S. cyberattack reportedly knocked out much of Caracas’s power grid and communications in parallel with the kinetic operation.
- One helicopter was hit but remained operational, underscoring the intensity of the operation.
10:37 PM
Mobs of motorcycle-riding armed militia hunt Venezuelan streets for Trump supporters as crackdown intensifies
New information:
- Paramilitary colectivos on motorcycles, often armed with assault rifles, are conducting intrusive searches and checkpoints across Venezuelan cities to identify and punish people perceived as supporting Maduro’s removal by the U.S.
- Venezuela’s National Union of Press Workers reports that armed forces briefly detained 14 journalists during Delcy Rodríguez’s induction as interim leader.
- Residents report being afraid to leave their homes because armed forces and colectivos are allegedly checking phones for signs of dissent, according to The Telegraph.
- A newly published Venezuelan state-of-emergency decree orders police to 'immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support of the armed attack by the United States,' Reuters reports.
- The article highlights that colectivos are largely controlled by Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello, who has a $25 million U.S. State Department bounty for alleged corruption and drug trafficking and is described as a key, 'violent and unpredictable' power center after Maduro’s capture.
- Cabello has been filmed patrolling with armed militias and was seen on state media ordering military counterintelligence to 'go and get the terrorists' and warning that 'whoever strays, we will know.'
10:08 PM
Trump embraces US intervention in Venezuela, opens door to broader Latin America push
New information:
- Adds contextual detail that Trump publicly described the Venezuela operation as a 'large scale strike' and explicitly connected it to a campaign to 'reassert American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.'
- Clarifies that Trump has signaled willingness to apply similar interventionist logic to other Latin American countries, explicitly naming Cuba and Colombia as next potential focuses in this Fox framing.
- Underscores that unlike some prior strikes, Trump envisions ongoing U.S. management of Caracas 'until a safe transition can occur,' implying a more sustained U.S. role alongside Venezuela’s interim leadership.
9:44 PM
Trump backs Maduro loyalist over Venezuela opposition leader in post-capture transition
New information:
- Reports that a classified CIA assessment, requested by senior Trump policymakers, concluded Delcy Rodríguez would be best positioned to lead a temporary government and quickly stabilize Venezuela after Maduro’s removal, whereas Machado and other opposition figures would struggle to gain security‑service support.
- Source familiar with the assessment says senior officials believed María Corina Machado lacked sufficient domestic support, in part because she was outside Venezuela at the time, despite her strong international profile and claims of a popular mandate.
- Article notes the Trump administration has chosen to "engage" Rodríguez and effectively elevate her over Machado, sidelining the opposition leader many in Washington expected the U.S. to support.
- Trump recounts a phone call in which Rodríguez allegedly told him, "We’ll do whatever you need," and he publicly praises her as "quite gracious" while also warning in a separate interview that if she "doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro."
- The piece explains that Venezuelan authorities are framing Maduro’s removal as "temporary," allowing Rodríguez to remain as interim president beyond the constitution’s usual 30‑day election requirement while a transition timeline is debated.
8:51 PM
Trump administration thanks the media for keeping quiet before the strike that captured Maduro
New information:
- Adds an information‑operations dimension to the story of Maduro’s capture: the State Department acknowledges that news organizations had advance word of the strike and cooperated by not reporting it.
- Clarifies sequence of public awareness: Venezuelan explosions were reported locally before dawn, but confirmation of U.S. involvement came only with Trump’s Truth Social post.
2:35 PM
Mamdani admits he has no federal security clearance after claiming he was 'briefed' on Venezuela raid
New information:
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly clarified that he does not yet have federal security clearance, despite earlier saying he had been 'briefed' on the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- Mamdani said the 'briefing' he referred to in his earlier X post was conducted internally by his own team, not by federal officials.
- The article documents a press-briefing exchange in which a reporter directly asks about his clearance and Mamdani responds, 'No, not as yet,' after initially describing the issue as 'on and on.'
- The piece notes viral social-media criticism accusing Mamdani of inflating his access to information about the Venezuela raid.
1:20 PM
Maduro's son gives 'unconditional support' to newly sworn in interim Venezuela president
New information:
- Nicolás Maduro’s son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra (“Nicolasito”), made his first public appearance since the raid and pledged “unconditional support” to newly sworn‑in interim president Delcy Rodríguez.
- Maduro Guerra denounced the U.S. operation as a “kidnapping” of a head of state and called it a direct threat to global political stability, warning that “no country is safe.”
- The article reiterates that Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president on Jan. 5, 2026, has condemned the U.S. operation but publicly stated she will work with the Trump administration.
- It restates that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are being held in New York awaiting narco‑terrorism proceedings following their capture by U.S. forces after large‑scale strikes on Venezuelan government targets.
1:00 PM
Trump’s Venezuela strike sparks constitutional clash as Maduro is hauled into US
New information:
- Article specifies that the overnight Venezuela operation involved at least seven U.S. military strikes and that early reports say dozens of foreign military and law enforcement personnel were killed.
- Clark Neily of the Cato Institute is quoted saying Maduro’s arrest operation likely falls within presidential authority but Trump’s broader regime-change and occupation talk crosses into decisions that constitutionally belong to Congress.
- Sen. Mike Lee argues the action likely falls within the president’s inherent Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.
- Sen. Tim Kaine explicitly labels Trump’s actions "illegal" and says senators will use two levers, including a forthcoming war powers resolution co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to try to block further military action in Venezuela.
12:42 PM
Lawmakers split over Maduro's seizure. And, CDC cuts childhood vaccine schedule
New information:
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in federal court in New York on Jan. 5 and both pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism and related charges.
- Reporters in the courtroom observed Maduro wish reporters a 'Happy New Year,' while Flores appeared with a swollen eye and bandaged forehead that her lawyers said resulted from injuries during her capture.
- Outside the courthouse, opposing protest groups clashed verbally — one condemning U.S. intervention as a resource grab, another of Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s capture.
- After a high-level Venezuela briefing, congressional reaction is sharply partisan: Democrats characterize the operation as an act of war executed without congressional notice, while most Republicans accept the White House’s framing as a law-enforcement action.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly asserted that President Trump has authority to deploy military forces to address threats to the United States, and Trump is scheduled to meet House Republicans at the Kennedy Center to discuss Venezuela and other priorities.
12:21 PM
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Machado pledges to return to Venezuela, sees 'alarming' internal crackdown
New information:
- Machado says she dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump for 'bringing Maduro to justice.'
- She frames the U.S. operation that captured Maduro and Cilia Flores as a step that should allow Venezuela’s transition to 'move forward,' while warning of an 'alarming' crackdown on dissent and journalists inside the country in the immediate aftermath.
- She publicly labels Delcy Rodríguez, now sworn in as interim president, as a central figure in torture and narco‑trafficking and as deeply distrusted by Venezuelans and international investors.
11:48 AM
Maduro held in NYC jail as Trump administration plans for Venezuela's future
New information:
- Introduces explicit U.N. human rights office criticism that the operation 'undermined a fundamental principle of international law' and quotes Ravina Shamdasani on the dangers of such military interventions.
- Reports U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres’s statement that he is 'deeply concerned that rules of international law have not been respected' in the operation.
- Contrasts U.N. legal concerns with the administration’s domestic justification by adding Trump and Rubio’s explanations of how they plan to 'run' Venezuela and maintain economic leverage via oil‑export restrictions.
11:48 AM
Venezuela strategy remains 'vague' after Trump admin briefing, says Rep. Adam Smith
New information:
- Rep. Adam Smith reports that, in the administration’s briefing to Congress, there was 'vague talk' about how the U.S. is working with interim President Delcy Rodríguez but without concrete details or a specific roadmap.
- Smith’s comments underscore that lawmakers still lack clarity on how closely and in what form Washington plans to coordinate with Rodríguez’s interim government following Maduro’s removal.
11:37 AM
Latin America fractures over Trump’s Maduro capture as regional allies shift right
New information:
- The CELAC summit failed to reach consensus on a statement condemning Maduro’s capture because a bloc of nine countries opposed it, signaling that the regional body could not present a united front in defense of Maduro.
- At the UN Security Council, regional positions diverged sharply, with some Latin American and Caribbean governments backing Washington’s operation and others denouncing it as a violation of international law.
- Argentina, via representative Francisco Fabián Tropepi, explicitly endorsed the U.S. action as a blow against organized crime and characterized Maduro as heading the 'Cartel of the Suns' and posing a threat beyond Venezuela to the entire region.
4:03 AM
Bondi says Trump 'saved countless lives' in Venezuelan dictator Maduro capture operation
New information:
- Attorney General Pam Bondi, in her first interview about the operation, said capturing Nicolás Maduro was 'not just about drugs' and that 'nothing is off the table' regarding additional charges in other jurisdictions.
- Bondi asserted that 'Operation Absolute Resolve' was 'well within' President Trump’s Article II constitutional authority and described it as a law‑enforcement mission to arrest indicted individuals in Venezuela.
- She claimed the covert operation 'saved thousands, countless lives' and specifically framed it as protecting Americans from members of the Tren de Aragua gang whom she says Maduro allowed into the U.S.
- Bondi publicly linked the operation to U.S. murder cases involving Venezuelan gang members, mentioning victims including 22‑year‑old Laken Riley and 12‑year‑old Jocelyn Nungaray.
- The article notes that some Democrats have criticized the operation as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty comparable to the Iraq war, providing a snapshot of partisan reaction to the raid.
12:57 AM
After Maduro's ouster, two powerful women could vie for control of Venezuela
New information:
- Confirms Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president and loyalist, has been sworn in as acting president of Venezuela following Maduro’s capture and transfer to New York.
- Reports Rodríguez is telling the U.S. she wants lasting cooperation while simultaneously telling Venezuelans she views Maduro’s capture as a kidnapping, highlighting her dual messaging.
- Details prior events around opposition leader María Corina Machado: she publicly denounced the 2024 election as fraudulent, went into hiding after Maduro threatened her arrest, later won the Nobel Peace Prize, and was secretly extracted from Venezuela to Norway in December.
- Quotes President Trump saying the U.S. is 'in charge' in Venezuela, calling Rodríguez 'cooperative' but warning that 'if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.'
- Notes Trump’s explanation for not installing Machado, saying she lacks sufficient support and respect among Venezuelans, while Rep. Mario Diaz‑Balart tells CBS he believes Machado would 'probably' win an election due to her long history of opposing the regime.
- Indicates Trump has hinted at possible Venezuelan elections 'further down the road' without a concrete timetable.
January 05, 2026
11:45 PM
Major oil companies to meet with Trump admin. on Venezuela, sources say
New information:
- Representatives from Chevron, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil are planning to meet with the Trump administration on Thursday to discuss Venezuela, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright expected to attend.
- The White House is explicitly pushing U.S. oil firms to invest in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- Chevron is currently the only major U.S. oil company operating in Venezuela under a special Treasury license, while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips exited in 2007 after Hugo Chávez forced majority control by the state oil company.
- Chevron and ConocoPhillips publicly declined to say they would reinvest, calling it premature, and the American Petroleum Institute stated that companies will base decisions on stability, rule of law, market forces and long‑term considerations.
- White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers claimed American oil companies are 'ready and willing' to invest and said they would 'do an incredible job for the people of Venezuela and will represent the United States well.'
11:38 PM
The Briefing: How Capitol Hill reacted to news of Nicolás Maduro's capture
New information:
- Context that U.S. Cabinet officials (Bondi, Rubio, Hegseth, Caine, Ratcliffe) have now briefed key congressional leaders and committee heads on the Maduro operation in a classified setting.
- Explicitly documents that congressional Democrats are contesting the administration’s characterization of the raid as mere 'law enforcement,' treating it as a military action potentially requiring war‑powers authorization.
- Raises concern among members that the Venezuela raid could be a precursor to possible future operations in Colombia and Cuba, which bears on how Rodríguez’s interim government and U.S. policy may evolve.
11:24 PM
Switzerland imposes 4-year asset freeze linked to Maduro, associates following Venezuelan leader's capture
New information:
- Switzerland’s Federal Council decided on January 5, 2026 to freeze any assets in Switzerland held by Nicolás Maduro and 36 associates for four years.
- The freeze is enacted under Switzerland’s Foreign Illicit Assets Act (FIAA) as a precautionary measure to preserve potentially illicit funds for future legal proceedings by Venezuela or other states.
- The order explicitly does not apply to members of the current Venezuelan government and targets prominent individuals not previously covered by Swiss sanctions imposed since 2018 under the Embargo Act.
- Swiss authorities state that if future proceedings show the assets were illicitly acquired, Switzerland will seek to use them for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.
- The FDFA stresses that the asset freeze is not based on a judgment about the legality of Maduro’s removal but solely on the fact that he has fallen from power, and Switzerland calls for de‑escalation and respect for international law in Venezuela.
8:41 PM
Venezuela swears in interim leader, seeking to show it operates free from U.S. control
New information:
- Confirms that Delcy Rodríguez has been formally sworn in as interim president by her brother Jorge Rodríguez after the National Assembly session in Caracas.
- Details that the swearing‑in occurred alongside the installation of a new National Assembly term lasting until 2031, with Jorge Rodríguez re‑elected as speaker.
- Reports Nicolás Maduro Guerra’s first public appearance since the raid, including his quote that ‘if we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe’ and his demand that Maduro and Cilia Flores be returned.
- Adds that Maduro has now made his first appearance in a U.S. federal courtroom in New York, where he pleaded not guilty to narco‑terrorism and drug‑trafficking charges and called himself ‘innocent’ and a ‘decent man.’
- Clarifies that the U.S. seized Maduro and Cilia Flores in a military operation at their home on a Venezuelan military base.
- Provides fresh remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation’ that the U.S. will not run Venezuela day‑to‑day, beyond enforcing an existing ‘oil quarantine,’ and that Washington expects changes in how the oil industry is run and in drug‑trafficking activities.
- Notes that Rodríguez issued a written statement inviting the U.S. government to ‘collaborate’ on an agenda of cooperation within international law, following an earlier more defiant tone.
- Reports that Trump publicly warned Rodríguez she could ‘pay a very big price’ if she does not fall in line with U.S. demands.
- States that Venezuela’s Supreme Court appointed Rodríguez as interim president and that the constitution requires an election within 30 days when the president becomes ‘permanently unavailable’ (the article truncates before saying whether that election has been formally set).
6:46 PM
Most of Maduro's inner circle remain in Venezuela after U.S. attack
New information:
- Clarifies that Delcy Rodríguez, previously vice president, was formally sworn in as interim president on Monday following Maduro’s capture.
- Provides Trump’s warning that Rodríguez will 'pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro' if she 'doesn't do what's right,' sharpening the sense of U.S. conditionality on her remaining in power.
- Frames Rodríguez as the most senior member of Maduro’s inner circle untouched by the attack and emphasizes her long-standing role as a loyal confidant and protégé.
- Reinforces that nearly all senior regime figures besides Maduro and Cilia Flores remain in Caracas and in their posts.
6:10 PM
Venezuela orders nationwide manhunt for supporters after Maduro's arrest by US forces
New information:
- Provides specific language from Delcy Rodríguez’s Sunday social‑media post inviting the U.S. government to "collaborate" on an agenda of cooperation within international law to strengthen "lasting community coexistence."
- Clarifies that Rodríguez, 56, had served as vice president from 2018 until Maduro’s capture and was sworn in as interim president after his removal.
- Places Rodríguez’s outreach in the immediate context of the new state of emergency decree ordering arrests of those who supported the U.S. attack.
3:38 PM
Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president after Maduro's ouster?
New information:
- Details that Venezuela’s high court formally ordered Rodríguez to assume the role of interim president and that the military publicly backed her.
- Reporting that Trump announced Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in communication with Rodríguez and described her as 'gracious' and willing to work with the U.S., while Rubio said she was someone the administration could work with, unlike Maduro.
- Description of Rodríguez’s initial televised address calling the U.S. operation an 'atrocity' that violates international law and insisting Maduro remained the rightful leader.
- Trump’s follow‑on warning that if Rodríguez does not 'fall in line' she will 'pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,' and his demand for 'total access' to oil facilities and infrastructure for rebuilding.
- Rodríguez’s subsequent Instagram statement inviting the U.S. to 'collaborate' on an agenda of cooperation and 'respectful relations' within international law, marking a notable softening in tone.
3:17 PM
Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as Venezuelan president, but who is she?
New information:
- Delcy Rodríguez, 56, has been sworn in as Venezuela’s new interim president while Nicolás Maduro awaits arraignment in U.S. federal court in New York.
- Venezuela’s military and the National Assembly, led by her brother Jorge Rodríguez, are backing her as the country’s new leader.
- Trump told CBS and The Atlantic that the U.S. has been in contact with Rodríguez, that she is 'essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,' and warned that if she 'doesn't do what's right' she could 'pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.'
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on CBS’ 'Face the Nation' and ABC’s 'This Week' that the U.S. will judge Rodríguez and other officials by their actions going forward, but that Washington does not view any of them as having legitimate electoral authority and insists legitimacy must come via a transition and real elections.
- The article provides biographical background on Rodríguez, including her role as vice president since 2018, her family’s long‑standing role in Venezuela’s socialist movement, her father’s death in custody under a prior regime, and her rise under Hugo Chávez and Maduro.
2:35 PM
Maduro is taken to Manhattan courthouse for his first appearance on drug trafficking charges
New information:
- Maduro and Cilia Flores were transported under heavy guard from a Brooklyn federal jail to Manhattan on Monday morning, including a pre‑dawn motorcade, helicopter transfer across New York Harbor, and armored‑vehicle arrival into the courthouse garage.
- The article describes Maduro visibly limping as he walked to the helicopter, suggesting possible injury or health impact from his capture or detention.
- It reiterates that Maduro’s lawyers are expected to challenge the legality of his arrest based on sovereign‑immunity arguments, and notes the U.S. position that it does not recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state, with comparison to Manuel Noriega’s failed immunity claim.
- Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez demanded Maduro’s return but also posted a more conciliatory message late Sunday inviting 'respectful relations' and collaboration with President Trump.
- Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, expanded his rhetoric to threaten Colombian President Gustavo Petro, calling him 'a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States' and warning Petro 'is not going to be doing it very long,' while pressing Rodríguez to grant 'total access' to Venezuela or face consequences.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will not govern Venezuela day‑to‑day beyond enforcing an existing 'oil quarantine,' even as Trump said the U.S. would 'run' Venezuela temporarily.
- The story specifies that the SDNY indictment accuses Maduro and others of facilitating shipment of 'thousands of tons' of cocaine into the U.S., with a potential life‑in‑prison sentence if convicted, and that as of Sunday it was unclear whether Maduro had retained U.S. counsel.
1:43 PM
How the U.S. operation to capture Maduro, his wife unfolded
New information:
- Confirms that the capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores involved over 150 aircraft from 20 separate military bases, as described by Gen. Dan Caine.
- Reports that a small CIA team had been operating inside Venezuela since August to track Maduro’s movements leading up to the arrest.
- Adds that CIA ground tracking was an integral part of the raid planning described in previous arraignment‑focused coverage.
1:36 PM
Venezuela's Maduro, his wife to be arraigned at Manhattan federal courthouse
New information:
- Confirms that both Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are set to be arraigned at a Manhattan federal courthouse on Monday.
- States that they are expected to enter not-guilty pleas to the charges at that arraignment.
- Clarifies that this follows their capture during a U.S. operation in Caracas over the weekend (timing of capture-to-arraignment sequence).
12:26 PM
Who is in charge of Venezuela? And, what to expect from Maduro's court appearance
New information:
- Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the United States is 'in charge of Venezuela' two days after U.S. troops seized Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas.
- NPR reports that all U.S. troops have now left Venezuela and that there is no U.S. diplomatic presence there because the U.S. embassy closed in 2019, raising questions about how Washington can actually 'run' the country.
- Venezuela’s Supreme Court has sworn in Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president, and she has publicly shifted from calling the U.S. operation 'barbaric' on Saturday to now offering cooperation and saying the region deserves peace and dialogue.
- NPR characterizes Rodríguez as a hardline insider who has overseen the oil industry and the regime’s intelligence apparatus and maintains good ties with the Venezuelan military, while noting those ties could be strained if she is seen as aligning too closely with the U.S.
- The article says the Trump administration is relying on a controversial 1989 DOJ Office of Legal Counsel memo by Bill Barr that paved the way for U.S. arrests of suspects abroad even when those actions violate international law.
- NPR legal analysis notes that while Maduro may challenge the legality of his capture, existing Supreme Court precedent generally allows U.S. prosecutions to proceed regardless of how a defendant was brought to American soil.
12:08 PM
Maduro to appear in U.S. court, Trump threatens other nations
New information:
- Confirms that Maduro and Cilia Flores will make their first U.S. court appearance in New York at noon Monday following their capture and transfer to the U.S.
- Details the four specific counts Maduro faces: narco‑terrorism conspiracy; cocaine importation conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices.
- Reports that a superseding indictment names Maduro’s son, Nicolás Ernesto Maduro, and four others as co‑defendants.
- Adds allegations that Flores brokered a meeting between a major drug trafficker and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti‑Drug Office and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
- Quotes Attorney General Pam Bondi saying Maduro and Flores will face "the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts" and that the indictment was unsealed after their capture.
- Quotes Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday describing a planned "oil quarantine" and saying the U.S. will exert "tremendous leverage" rather than directly governing Venezuela, partially walking back Trump’s "we're in charge" remarks.
- Provides Cuban government claim that 32 Cubans were killed in the U.S. operation and Rubio’s assertion that Cuban bodyguards, not Venezuelan ones, guarded Maduro and handled internal intelligence.
- Adds fresh quotes from Trump reiterating that the U.S. will 'run the country' of Venezuela temporarily, 'get the oil flowing,' and that Cuba’s economy is 'going down for the count,' and notes he again called for a U.S. takeover of Greenland and threatened action against Colombia.
12:00 PM
AI-generated images, old footage circulate social media amid Maduro's capture
New information:
- CBS News analyzed several viral images and videos purporting to show Nicolás Maduro’s capture and transfer and found that at least one widely shared photo was likely edited or AI-generated using Google AI, as indicated by Google’s SynthID tool.
- CBS identified a video generated from that AI-edited image, depicting military personnel escorting Maduro from an aircraft, which was posted about 12 hours before CBS obtained and reported verified footage showing a shackled person disembarking the actual plane that carried Maduro to New York.
- A separate photo allegedly showing Maduro aboard an aircraft with U.S. soldiers could not be authenticated; two AI-detection tools gave inconsistent results and CBS was unable to verify it.
- President Trump posted an image captioned "Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima" after the capture, while later that evening the White House Rapid Response account released video apparently showing Maduro being escorted down a hallway by federal agents.
- CBS documented that old footage and images — including a 2024 video of people tearing down a Maduro billboard and a 2025 strike video — were recirculated on social media as if they depicted reactions or strikes related to the current capture.
- CBS notes that a frequently shared image of a hooded man in a car, sometimes claimed to be Maduro, appears in a 2023 Daily Mail report as showing Saddam Hussein after his capture, though CBS has not independently confirmed that attribution.
- CBS explains its verification methods (reverse image search, comparison to known footage, and selective use of AI-detection tools) and notes X and Meta have not yet responded to its questions about policies on AI-generated images in this context.
11:00 AM
Captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro faces New York federal judge after dramatic palace raid
New information:
- Confirms the arraignment is scheduled for noon Monday in New York federal court and will include both Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
- Details the precise charge set: Maduro faces four counts (narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices); Flores faces three counts (all but narco‑terrorism conspiracy).
- States that Maduro is being held in the same Brooklyn federal jail as accused UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione.
- Provides on-record expert assessments that bail is essentially impossible, comparing the case to Manuel Noriega’s arraignment.
- Notes that the superseding indictment was unsealed over the weekend and quotes DOJ language that Venezuelan leaders 'for over 25 years' abused their positions to import tons of cocaine into the U.S.
- Adds legal commentary that the selection of SDNY and the perception of a successful, no‑casualty U.S. operation could influence public and jury attitudes.
3:08 AM
Trump vows US 'in charge' of Venezuela as he reveals if he's spoken to Delcy Rodríguez
New information:
- Beyond Maduro’s transfer to New York, Trump now publicly states that the U.S. will 'run everything' in Venezuela during a recovery period rather than simply treating the operation as a law‑enforcement action.
- He ties the U.S. legal case and seizure to a broader policy of U.S.-directed economic and political reconstruction, including delayed elections and U.S.-controlled oil revenues.
1:02 AM
Maduro and 'Lady Macbeth’ Cilia Flores marriage spells 'worst case' custody scenario
New information:
- Article specifies the exact counts each defendant faces: Maduro faces four counts (narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices), while Flores faces three counts (cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices).
- Confirms both Maduro and Cilia Flores were arrested together in Caracas during a Jan. 3 nighttime operation and are now detained in U.S. custody ahead of their Jan. 5 arraignment.
- Reports that Flores has been dubbed "Lady Macbeth" by critics and emphasizes expert analysis (Roxanna Vigil, CFR) that their joint detention in U.S. custody is a 'worst‑case scenario' for their political and personal futures, given her role as a key Chavista insider.
- Provides visual/operational detail that Maduro was processed at the DEA in Manhattan and then moved under heavy federal escort by helicopter for detention in Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn).
- Offers additional biographical and political context on Flores’s trajectory (defending Chávez after the failed 1992 coup, holding senior posts such as National Assembly president and attorney general, and her longstanding influence in the Chavista movement).
12:59 AM
Seizing Venezuela’s Maduro, Trump implements his corollary to Monroe Doctrine
New information:
- Places the Maduro capture and transfer to New York explicitly within the framework of Trump’s announced 'Trump Corollary' to the Monroe Doctrine and the broader National Security Strategy.
- Adds that the deadly bombings that accompanied the raid hit not only military installations but 'some civilian buildings across the country,' underlining the breadth and character of the strikes.
- Signals that the UN Security Council will meet in emergency session Monday as the first collective international response to the raid and abductions.
- Details Trump’s public framing that 'American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again' and that the Monroe Doctrine has been 'superseded' by his more expansive approach.
January 04, 2026
11:06 PM
Nicolás Maduro will appear in U.S. federal court on Monday
New information:
- Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to make his first appearance in U.S. federal court at noon on Monday in Manhattan.
- The hearing will take place at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly stated that Maduro and Cilia Flores 'will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.'
- The article confirms that DOJ has now published the superseding indictment against Maduro, Flores and other Venezuelan officials.
- The piece reiterates that Flores was seized alongside Maduro in the military operation and faces conspiracy to import cocaine and related charges.
9:55 PM
Rubio says there's 'not a war against Venezuela' despite U.S. capture of Maduro
New information:
- This article confirms Maduro is set to appear before a New York judge on Monday, providing a clear next procedural step in the SDNY case.
- It frames the administration’s view that the capture constituted a law‑enforcement arrest rather than an act of war, which underpins its claim that advance congressional consultation was not required.
- Schumer’s planned war powers resolution directly responds to that framing and would, if passed, limit the administration’s ability to conduct further military operations in Venezuela without authorization.
8:30 PM
UN Ambassador Waltz defends US capture of Maduro ahead of Security Council meeting
New information:
- Ambassador Waltz publicly framed Maduro as a 'drug kingpin' and referenced the U.S. indictment while defending the capture ahead of a U.N. Security Council debate.
- He presented the indictment and alleged narcoterrorism ties to China, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah as part of the legal and political justification for the U.S. raid and rendition.
7:16 PM
Rep. Jim Himes says Maduro capture is "clearly illegal under international law"
New information:
- The article notes Maduro is now physically in a New York City detention facility and scheduled for arraignment Monday on the superseding Southern District of New York indictment.
- It reports that the White House is publicly framing the operation as bringing an 'outlaw dictator' to justice, while Democratic lawmakers are publicly challenging both the legal basis for the raid and the administration’s stated motives.
- Jim Himes links the legality of the capture to broader international norms, warning that it could be invoked by Russia or China to justify similar cross‑border actions against other leaders.
6:14 PM
Retired Delta Force vet reveals biggest challenge in Maduro capture mission in Venezuela
New information:
- Identifies that the capture of Maduro and his wife in Caracas was executed on the ground by U.S. Delta Force operators inserted by 160th SOAR helicopters.
- Quotes a retired Delta Force veteran explaining that neutralizing or bypassing Venezuelan air defenses and safely inserting operators was the most challenging element of the mission, indicating a high-risk airspace environment.
- Reports that the CIA provided intelligence support to the Department of War to steer Delta Force directly to Maduro’s location.
- States that the mission incurred no American casualties, which President Trump publicly lauded.
6:06 PM
Venezuela's military recognizes VP as acting leader after Maduro's capture
New information:
- Confirms that after the Caracas raid Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrived in New York on Sunday escorted by DEA agents and will face federal charges related to drug trafficking and working with U.S.-designated terrorist gangs.
- Provides visual detail from White House social‑media video showing Maduro smiling as DEA agents escort him through a U.S. office.
- Adds Venezuelan military’s account that some of Maduro’s bodyguards were killed 'in cold blood' during the raid, without specifying numbers, and notes there is still no official Venezuelan casualty toll.
5:40 PM
Maduro arrives in New York to face charges after U.S. operation questioned by legal experts
New information:
- Confirms that after the Caracas raid, Maduro has now physically arrived in New York and is in DEA custody, closing the loop between the operation and his appearance in SDNY’s jurisdiction.
- Describes the transfer chain: small airport in New York’s northern suburbs, helicopter to Manhattan, motorcade including an armored vehicle to a DEA office.
- Adds a White House–released video showing Maduro escorted by DEA agents, providing visual confirmation of his custody.
- Provides Trump’s public claim that the U.S. will 'run the country' of Venezuela, 'fix' its oil infrastructure, and sell 'large amounts' of oil to other countries, going beyond the indictment’s legal allegations into explicit policy/intent.
- Reports Delcy Rodríguez’s reaction, including her assertion that Venezuela’s high court named her interim president and that civilians and military personnel were killed in the raid, information that situates the indictment within Venezuela’s internal power struggle.
- Notes that legal experts are questioning the lawfulness of the operation due to the lack of congressional authorization.
5:24 PM
Kristi Noem delivers Trump's ultimatum to Venezuela's vice president following Maduro capture operation
New information:
- Noem references the months‑long maritime strikes and Coast Guard operations described in other coverage as evidence that Trump is willing to take repeated kinetic and enforcement actions tied to Maduro’s alleged narcoterrorism.
- She characterizes those actions as part of ensuring Venezuela is led by someone who will not continue drug trafficking that she says 'kills our children and our grandchildren.'
5:06 PM
Cotton: New Venezuelan government cannot "continue Nicolás Maduro's ways"
New information:
- This CBS piece notes that Maduro is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn following his transfer to the U.S. after the raid.
- It provides a political overlay from Sen. Tom Cotton on what the U.S. wants from those still running Venezuela’s government post‑indictment, including cutting drug and weapons trafficking and expelling foreign security partners like Iran and Hezbollah.
4:12 PM
Marco Rubio says "the president always retains optionality" to occupy Venezuela
New information:
- The article confirms that Nicolás Maduro has arrived at a detention center in New York City to face federal drug‑trafficking and terrorism‑related charges, which he denies.
- Rubio explicitly ties the U.S. oil 'quarantine' and naval blockade to the goal of cutting off narco‑trafficking gangs, including those designated as terrorist organizations, operating from Venezuelan territory.
- He highlights that Venezuelan state resources have enabled boats with drugs to traffic from the country and that part of the U.S. mission is to disrupt those trafficking routes and associated groups.
1:04 PM
Venezuelan dissident outlines risks and opportunities as Venezuela enters post-Maduro era
New information:
- Frames the Maduro regime not only as a narco‑trafficking operation but as enabling broader terrorist and trafficking groups (Hamas, Hezbollah, ELN, FARC) to exploit Venezuelan territory and resources.
- Emphasizes that a key measure of 'day after' success will be whether a new Venezuelan state can deny territory and operating space to those organizations.
10:19 AM
Live Updates: Questions Mount for U.S. and Venezuela After Maduro’s Capture
New information:
- Confirms that the newly unsealed New York indictment charges Maduro, Cilia Flores and four others with four specific counts, including narco‑terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of machine guns.
- Reports Maduro’s current custodial status: he is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court soon, adding custodial and venue details not in the broader indictment description.
- Situates the unsealed indictment explicitly in the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 3 Caracas raid, emphasizing the rapid legal move from capture to formal charges.
10:00 AM
A tale of two U.S. interventions and why Venezuela is not Panama 2.0
New information:
- The NPR analysis explicitly characterizes the Maduro capture as part of a strategy to secure Venezuelan oil assets, with Trump saying the U.S. will be 'selling oil' from Venezuela in 'much larger doses' now that its infrastructure can be rebuilt under U.S. oversight.
- It contrasts the Maduro operation with the 1989 Noriega capture by highlighting that U.S. forces in Panama were already stationed in the Canal Zone and exited quickly, whereas Trump now speaks of the U.S. 'running' Venezuela for an undefined transition period.
- The piece notes emergent protests against U.S. action, including demonstrations on Boston Common, suggesting early domestic and international backlash distinct from the Panama experience.
7:01 AM
Maduro arrives in US after stunning capture in operation that Trump says will let US 'run' Venezuela
New information:
- Confirms that Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have arrived in the United States, landing Saturday evening at a small airport in New York following the nighttime extraction from a Caracas military base.
- Specifies that the operation involved extracting Maduro and Flores from their home inside a military base in Caracas after Trump said U.S. forces turned off 'almost all of the lights' in the city during the raid.
- Reports that a new U.S. Justice Department indictment against Maduro and Flores was released Saturday, describing Maduro’s government as a 'corrupt, illegitimate government' fueled by a cocaine‑trafficking operation that 'flooded the U.S. with cocaine.'
- Adds that Venezuela’s high court has named Vice President Delcy Rodríguez interim president; Rodríguez is demanding Maduro’s release, asserting he remains the rightful leader, and alleging unspecified Venezuelan civilian and military deaths in the raid.
- Notes that Trump publicly stated the U.S. will 'run the country' until a 'safe, proper and judicious transition' and that the U.S. aims to 'fix' Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and sell 'large amounts' of oil to other countries, describing this as a benefit of the operation.
- Provides detail that U.S. forces were injured (but not killed) in the operation, according to Trump, and that legal experts are questioning the lawfulness of the raid, which occurred without congressional approval.
- Reiterates that the CIA earlier conducted a drone strike at a Venezuelan docking area used by drug cartels, described here as the first known direct U.S. operation on Venezuelan soil in the current campaign, and ties this to months of maritime strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
5:57 AM
How cocaine and corruption led to the indictment of Maduro
New information:
- Confirms that a new superseding indictment against Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was filed under seal in the Southern District of New York just before Christmas and unsealed after their capture.
- Specifies that Maduro faces four counts: narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices, mirroring his 2020 case but now adding charges against Flores.
- Alleges Maduro’s government partnered with major criminal organizations—including Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang—to move cocaine through Venezuela, with profits funneled to high-ranking officials.
- Provides a quantitative allegation that as much as 250 tons of cocaine per year were trafficked through Venezuela by 2020, routed via go‑fast boats, fishing vessels, container ships and aircraft from clandestine airstrips.
- Details that Maduro and his family allegedly provided "law enforcement cover and logistical support" to traffickers and ordered kidnappings, beatings and murders of people who owed them drug money.
- Reports Attorney General Pam Bondi’s public statement on X that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts."
- Notes that a White House social‑media video shows a smiling Maduro being escorted through a DEA office in New York by two agents, and that he is expected to be held pre‑trial at a federal jail in Brooklyn.
5:19 AM
Venezuelans wonder who's in charge as Trump claims contact with Maduro's deputy
New information:
- Venezuela’s high court has ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who is next in the line of succession, to assume the role of interim president after Maduro’s capture.
- President Trump publicly claims that Rodríguez had a 'long conversation' with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and told the U.S. she would 'do whatever you need,' and says she is 'willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.'
- Trump dismisses opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado as lacking support to run the country.
- Rodríguez appears on state television flanked by top officials and military commanders, demands Maduro and Cilia Flores be released, calls the U.S. operation a violation of the U.N. charter, and insists, 'There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro.'
- Senior Venezuelan officials including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello issue defiant video messages, urging people into the streets to defend sovereignty; some supporters rally and burn U.S. flags, while most residents stay home amid fear and long lines at stores and gas stations.
5:17 AM
See How the U.S. Military Captured Maduro in a Matter of Hours
New information:
- The Wall Street Journal reconstruction says the capture mission was led by elite U.S. special operations forces and supported by every branch of the U.S. military, plus intelligence and law‑enforcement agencies.
- The operation was set into motion at 8 p.m. Caracas time on Friday after months of planning.
- B‑1 bombers lifted off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas to begin the mission, followed by roughly 150 other aircraft from bases across the Western Hemisphere, according to flight‑tracking data and Gen. Dan Caine.
- The article is based on a review of satellite imagery, flight‑tracking data, audio records, videos, photographs and interviews with people familiar with the operation, adding sourcing detail on how the raid has been reconstructed.
1:19 AM
Who is María Corina Machado, Venezuela's Nobel Peace Prize winning opposition leader?
New information:
- Following the operation described in the earlier story, Machado calls for Edmundo González to be recognized as Venezuela’s 'legitimate' president based on the disputed 2024 election.
- Machado, recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, dedicates that prize to President Trump and supports the U.S. pressure campaign, including deadly maritime strikes against alleged drug‑trafficking vessels.
- Trump publicly distances himself from Machado as a potential leader despite her backing of U.S. policy, saying she is 'a very nice woman' but lacks the requisite 'respect' to lead Venezuela.
- The article highlights that around 20% of Venezuela’s population has fled under Maduro, which Machado cites to justify U.S. pressure and the need for a democratic transition.
- It emphasizes that international watchdogs and the U.S. view the 2024 contest as manipulated by Maduro, a key factual underpinning of claims that González, not Maduro, holds a legitimate mandate.
12:44 AM
Pete Hegseth: "President Trump sets the terms" on running Venezuela
New information:
- Beyond operational details already reported, Hegseth’s CBS interview supplies the administration’s strategic framing: Trump will 'set the terms' of U.S. rule in Venezuela and aims to 'recapture' oil interests for American companies.
- Hegseth publicly characterizes the raid as a 'law enforcement exercise' that did not require prior congressional notification, providing the administration’s legal/political justification for bypassing advance consultation.
- He signals that while longer‑term 'extensions' of U.S. involvement would involve Congress 'of course,' the initial capture and ongoing posture were undertaken under executive authority.
January 03, 2026
11:50 PM
Venezuelan leader Maduro lands in New York after being captured by US forces on drug conspiracy charges
New information:
- Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrived Saturday afternoon at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, on a DOJ aircraft and were escorted off the plane by federal agents.
- They are expected to be taken first to DEA headquarters and then booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to a Fox News source.
- The DOJ indictment charges Maduro with narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States; his wife and son are also listed as defendants.
- The broader campaign has been formally named 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' following earlier U.S. strikes on suspected drug vessels tied to the Venezuelan regime in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
- Trump publicly stated that U.S. forces are prepared to conduct a 'second and much larger attack' and that the U.S. will 'stay until such time as the proper transition can take place' and will remain in control of Venezuela until a 'safe, proper and judicious transition' occurs.
- The Venezuelan government issued a statement accusing the U.S. of launching the attack to seize Venezuela’s oil and minerals, calling it an attempt to impose a 'colonial war' and force 'regime change' in alliance with a 'fascist oligarchy.'
- The article notes that some Venezuelans abroad celebrated while people inside Venezuela were stockpiling food out of fear of instability.
11:12 PM
How the operation to take out Venezuela's Maduro unfolded
New information:
- Trump gave the execute order for the Maduro raid at 10:46 p.m. ET Friday with the message, "Good luck and godspeed."
- Roughly 150 U.S. aircraft were involved, launched from 20 land and sea bases, including helicopters skimming about 100 feet above the Caribbean Sea with an 'extraction force' of special forces and FBI agents aboard.
- As helicopters approached Fuerte Tiuna, U.S. aircraft destroyed Venezuelan air defenses along the route and U.S. forces deliberately cut power to blanket the area in darkness.
- The assault force came under heavy fire; one helicopter was hit but remained flyable, and U.S. troops landed at the target around 1:01 a.m. local time.
- Trump and senior officials (Gen. Dan Caine, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, John Ratcliffe and others) watched a live video feed of the operation from Mar‑a‑Lago.
- Trump claimed Maduro and Cilia Flores attempted to flee to a steel‑reinforced safe room but were captured before reaching it; assault teams had prepared blowtorches and breaching plans for the safe-room door but did not need them.
- Gen. Caine said there were 'multiple self defense engagements' during the withdrawal, but the force was back over water by 3:29 a.m., and no U.S. troops were killed though 'a few' were wounded.
- Trump publicly posted an image of Maduro blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima following the operation.
- Axios reports a small CIA team had been in Venezuela since August, tracking Maduro’s movements and habits and helping lay the groundwork for the raid (beginning of that background section is described, though cut off in the provided text).
11:03 PM
Photos show damage at Fuerte Tiuna, the military base were Maduro was captured
New information:
- Provides visual, satellite‑based confirmation of U.S. strike damage at Fuerte Tiuna, the specific Caracas military complex where Maduro was seized.
- Clarifies that U.S. helicopters taking part in the raid came under fire before Delta Force operators and FBI personnel entered Maduro’s compound.
- Quotes Gen. Dan Caine saying Maduro and his wife ‘gave up’ once confronted and were taken into custody.
- Adds Trump’s public framing that the U.S. will temporarily ‘oversee Venezuela’ and focus on restoring oil production, and his detail about Maduro failing to reach an all‑steel safe room.
- Lists additional targets in Caracas and along the coast (La Carlota airbase, El Volcán antenna, La Guaira Port) as part of the same strike package.
- Notes that Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a superseding indictment against Maduro related to narco‑terrorism and drug trafficking.
10:39 PM
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
New information:
- Source tells Fox News that Nicolás Maduro is being detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the same federal jail that has held Ghislaine Maxwell, Sam Bankman-Fried, Michael Cohen and others pretrial.
- Former Bureau of Prisons assistant director Judi Garrett says she expects Maduro will initially be held in the Special Housing Unit and then moved to a 'special' high‑profile unit within MDC Brooklyn.
- The article notes that Maduro will be housed at MDC Brooklyn at the same time as Luigi Mangione, the accused assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
- President Trump, in a Fox & Friends Weekend interview, provides additional operational detail about the raid, saying Delta Force 'bum rushed' Maduro in a 'fortress‑like' house with steel doors and a steel 'safety space,' and that U.S. forces had brought 'massive blowtorches' to breach the safe room but did not need them because Maduro failed to reach it.
- A U.S. official briefed on the matter tells Fox News that Maduro was ultimately captured by the Army’s Delta Force using CIA-provided intelligence that guided the Department of War in tracking him to the target location.
10:31 PM
What to know about the U.S. strikes in Venezuela — and the fallout
New information:
- Provides earlier‑stage, contemporaneous detail on the strikes themselves as they unfolded in Caracas, including eyewitness testimony from journalist Vanessa Silva and confirmation of explosions and fires at La Carlota air base.
- Relays claims from Venezuelan officials that strikes hit military targets across three states and also impacted civilian neighborhoods, with unquantified civilian and service‑member casualties.
- Specifies that Trump publicly stated on Fox & Friends that U.S. forces suffered injuries but no deaths during the operation and that a planned second wave of troops was ultimately unnecessary.
- Documents Trump’s release of a photo he says is Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to New York.
- Captures Attorney General Pam Bondi’s language describing Maduro and Cilia Flores as 'alleged international narco traffickers' and linking them to SDNY narco‑terrorism and drug‑trafficking conspiracy charges.
- Notes that the administration designated Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization in November and characterizes expert views that the term is shorthand for a broader corruption system rather than a single cartel.
10:14 PM
Maduro indicted on federal drug-trafficking and weapons charges
New information:
- Confirms that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Nicolás Maduro, Cilia Flores and four others, and that it was unsealed Saturday after Maduro and Flores were taken into U.S. military custody and brought to the U.S.
- Details the four specific charges Maduro faces: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices.
- Names additional defendants in the superseding indictment: Nicolás Ernesto Maduro (Maduro’s son), current interior minister Diosdado Cabello, former interior minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, and Tren de Aragua gang leader Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, noting that only Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody so far.
- Provides specific alleged conduct: sale of diplomatic passports to drug traffickers, use of diplomatic cover for private planes, and use of military escorts and state-sponsored gangs to traffic cocaine and carry out kidnappings, beatings, and murders.
- States that the case is being overseen by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York and that Maduro is expected to be arraigned in SDNY next week after landing at a Hudson Valley airport.
- Attributes the superseding indictment to U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, quoting language that Venezuelan leaders 'abused their positions of public trust' for over 25 years to import tons of cocaine into the United States.
10:08 PM
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump's capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as 'act of war'
New information:
- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a news conference saying he was briefed on plans to imprison Nicolás Maduro and his wife in New York City.
- Mamdani said he phoned President Trump on Saturday to 'register [his] opposition' to the capture, calling it an 'act of war and a violation of federal and international law.'
- He stated that his opposition is to 'pursuit of regime change' and that he is focused on the safety of New Yorkers and Venezuelans living in New York City, promising to monitor the situation and issue guidance.
- Article notes ideological parallels and contrasts between Mamdani’s policy agenda in NYC and Maduro’s socialist model, framing why Fox highlights his stance.
9:59 PM
Trump says the U.S. will "run" Venezuela for now. What do we know about the plans?
New information:
- Clarifies that Maduro and Cilia Flores arrived specifically at Stewart Airport just north of New York City after their capture.
- Identifies U.S. Army Delta Force as the unit that carried out the overnight mission to seize Maduro and Flores.
- Provides Trump’s direct framing that the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela until a 'proper transition' occurs and will not 'take a chance that somebody else takes over' without 'the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.'
- Details Trump’s stated vision of using major global oil companies to invest 'billions and billions of dollars' in Venezuela’s oil sector, with profits to be 'used in Venezuela' for the benefit of its people.
- Adds Trump’s assessment of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado as lacking sufficient internal support and respect to take over.
- Reports Trump’s account that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and that Trump claims she is 'essentially willing to do what we think is necessary,' juxtaposed with Rodríguez’s televised declaration that Maduro is the only president and her demand for his release.
9:40 PM
Maduro and his wife arrive in New York to face narco-terrorism charges
New information:
- Specifies that Maduro and Cilia Flores landed at Stewart Airport north of New York City on Saturday after transfer from the USS Iwo Jima.
- Clarifies that they were captured from their home in Caracas in an overnight operation before being moved to the ship.
- Adds granular allegations about Flores’ personal role in brokering a 2007 meeting between a trafficker and anti‑drug chief Nestor Reverol Torres and accepting bribes connected to per‑flight cocaine shipments.
- Quotes Attorney General Pam Bondi’s statement that Maduro and Flores will face the 'full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.'
9:10 PM
Trump says US will now ‘run’ Venezuela, serving a warning to other world leaders
New information:
- Provides contemporaneous context from Trump’s own words at the immediate Jan. 3 news conference that the U.S. will 'run the country' and explicitly manage Venezuela’s 'tremendous amount of wealth' in oil to 'reimburse the U.S. for damage,' adding color to the bare 'plan to run Venezuela' description.
- Further underscores the Monroe Doctrine framing with Trump’s quote that 'American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,' giving more explicit ideological context to the legal and diplomatic issues raised by the indictment and capture.
- Adds description of the early‑morning strike as 'scrambling international norms – and potentially breaking national and international law,' foregrounding the legal controversy that the indictment story later elaborates in more detail.
8:38 PM
Maduro's ouster on drug charges comes as Trump lets others free
New information:
- NPR foregrounds that Attorney General Pamela Bondi publicly ties the invasion to drug trafficking, emphasizing a 'campaign of deadly narco-terrorism' and reiterating that Maduro and Flores will be tried on U.S. soil.
- The piece stresses that Trump himself, at a Mar‑a‑Lago news conference, cited drug trafficking as a key factor while also explicitly acknowledging his desire to seize Venezuela’s oil fields.
- It uniquely highlights the contrast between Trump’s hard line on Maduro and his recent pardon of former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted cocaine trafficker, raising questions about consistency in Trump’s use of the drug war.
- NPR quotes libertarian Cato Institute analyst Jeffrey Singer questioning whether narcotics interdiction is the true motive, suggesting Trump is 'using the drug war as an excuse.'
- The article situates the operation within a broader pattern of Trump shifting overdose policy from public health to military interdiction, including designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and ordering lethal Navy strikes on alleged drug boats.
7:44 PM
Trump Rolls the Dice on Nation-Building With Vow to ‘Run’ Venezuela
New information:
- Provides precise public wording from Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago that the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela 'essentially, until a proper transition takes place.'
- Adds Trump’s formulation that U.S. forces will remain in Venezuela 'until such time as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place.'
- Emphasizes that this posture represents an 'open‑ended nation‑building effort' contrary to Trump’s prior stated aversion to such missions.
7:31 PM
Rubio to Cuba: 'I'd be concerned' after US military arrests Venezuelan leader Maduro
New information:
- Rubio publicly tied the Maduro capture to Cuba, asserting that Cuban intelligence and security personnel are embedded throughout Venezuela’s spy agency and Maduro’s guard.
- He framed Venezuela’s situation as needing to 'declare independence from Cuba' due to this security presence.
- Trump’s comments in this piece explicitly describe Cuba as 'a failing nation' and suggest that, like Venezuela, it may become a focus of U.S. policy discussions after the Venezuela operation.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi’s social‑media posting of the superseding SDNY indictment is noted specifically as the vehicle by which the detailed narco‑terrorism and cocaine importation charges were made public.
7:07 PM
Maduro's capture leads to hundreds of Caribbean flight cancellations
New information:
- FAA restrictions and airline decisions have effectively halted commercial overflights of Venezuela and led to hundreds of flight cancellations across the eastern Caribbean in the immediate aftermath of the operation.
- Puerto Rico’s main international airport publicly linked its operational restrictions to the security situation surrounding U.S. military activity in Venezuela.
- Major U.S. carriers have implemented waivers and schedule changes that signal travel disruptions could last for days beyond the initial capture.
6:26 PM
6 reasons why the U.S. went after Maduro
New information:
- Axios explicitly links the August $50 million U.S. bounty on Maduro to the narco-trafficking indictment and describes it as the pressure campaign’s starting gun.
- It clarifies that, even though U.S. intelligence assessed in a classified memo that Maduro did not directly control Tren de Aragua, the Trump administration still publicly advanced a narrative of state-sponsored trafficking involving Tren de Aragua and cartels like Sinaloa.
- The article broadens the rationale beyond narco-terrorism, adding that the White House viewed Maduro’s socialist regime and its alliance with Cuba and Nicaragua as part of an "axis of socialism" and that this ideological framing was central to the decision.
- Axios underscores how Maduro’s foreign partnerships—with China as his main oil buyer, Iran/Hezbollah under the "Axis of Unity" and long‑standing ties to Russia—were seen by some Trump backers as a key reason to send a "warning" to distant powers through the raid.
- It frames Venezuela’s gold reserves and alleged use of gold to evade U.S. sanctions as a discrete driver of the operation.
6:22 PM
Trump speaks after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture | Special Report
New information:
- Corroborates that Trump’s remarks about the U.S. 'running' Venezuela were reiterated in a dedicated Mar‑a‑Lago Special Report immediately after the strike.
- Adds his explicit warning from that address that the U.S. is prepared to launch 'a second, larger attack' if required.
- Specifies that Defense Secretary Hegseth, Gen. Caine and Secretary Rubio jointly briefed the public following Trump’s statement, indicating a coordinated interagency presentation.
6:09 PM
Maduro’s fall sparks suspicion of betrayal inside Venezuela’s ruling elite
New information:
- Raises the possibility that elements of Maduro’s inner circle — particularly Diosdado Cabello and defense chief Vladimir Padrino — may have cooperated or at least declined to resist, as evidenced by the lack of Venezuelan military resistance during the U.S. operation.
- Quotes Venezuelan Economic Inclusion Group head Jorge Jraissati saying the speed of the capture indicates 'great intelligence on the ground' and that 'Venezuelans were actively cooperating with the Americans,' calling it 'a huge win for the U.S.'
- Details Padrino’s early‑morning video on X denouncing 'criminal military aggression' by the U.S. striking Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, and repeating Hugo Chávez‑era rhetoric about foreign troops and 'insatiable greed' for Venezuela’s resources.
- Notes that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez publicly demanded a 'proof of life' for Maduro on X and is reportedly in Russia, a claim Moscow denies, fueling speculation about her status after the U.S. operation.
- Frames Cabello as now standing as the 'undisputed heir' to the Chavista movement with Padrino and the military, while highlighting that the armed forces 'put up no resistance of any kind' to the U.S. strikes and extraction.
5:49 PM
WATCH: Trump says U.S. is 'going to run' Venezuela until transition of power after capturing Maduro
New information:
- The DOJ released a new indictment of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on Saturday accusing them of a role in a narco-terrorism conspiracy following their capture.
- Trump publicly linked the capture and indictment to a broader U.S. plan to 'run' Venezuela during a transition period.
- The article specifies that Maduro and Flores are being transported by U.S. warship to New York to face the newly released charges.
5:38 PM
Maduro-backed TdA gang’s expansion into US cities emerges as key focus of sweeping DOJ indictment
New information:
- Attorney General Pam Bondi unsealed an indictment charging Nicolás Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
- The indictment names six defendants including Maduro, his wife, his son and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, along with senior Venezuelan officials Diosdado Cabello and former interior minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín.
- The filing alleges Maduro and co-conspirators have, since at least 1999, partnered with cartels such as Mexico’s Zetas and Sinaloa Cartel, Colombian ELN and FARC, and Tren de Aragua to traffic 'tons of cocaine' to the United States.
- DOJ alleges that Tren de Aragua has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States, including New York.
- The indictment characterizes Maduro as sitting atop a 'corrupt, illegitimate government' that leverages state power to protect and promote drug trafficking and enrich political elites.
- The article notes Trump previously designated Tren de Aragua a Foreign Terrorist Organization and highlights prior deportations of alleged TdA members from the U.S.
5:35 PM
Trump vows US will 'run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition of power
New information:
- Builds on the indictment context by specifying that after the unsealed narco‑terror charges, U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and physically captured Maduro and Cilia Flores and flew them to New York, as referenced by Trump in describing current U.S. control over events in Venezuela.
- Connects the legal case more directly to an announced U.S. policy of temporarily 'running' Venezuela and rebuilding its oil sector, as described by Trump.
5:10 PM
María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition urge military to back power transfer after Maduro capture
New information:
- Identifies María Corina Machado’s immediate political response: an open call for a transfer of power and for the military to recognize Edmundo González as president and commander-in-chief.
- Details her messaging strategy: instructions for Venezuelans inside the country to stay organized and for those abroad to pressure foreign governments to recognize alternative leadership.
- Reemphasizes that Maduro is being flown to New York to face drug trafficking charges, linking the domestic U.S. legal dimension to the opposition’s political push in Caracas.
4:59 PM
House GOP critics break with Trump over Venezuela operation that captured Maduro
New information:
- Rep. Thomas Massie publicly questioned the constitutional and legal basis for the Venezuela strikes, pointing to the DOJ’s indictment and mocking the use of a 1934 U.S. firearms law against a foreign president.
- Massie highlighted that the four‑count indictment of Maduro does not mention fentanyl or stolen oil, undercutting some administration justifications.
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene issued a detailed statement criticizing the operation as regime change driven by control of Venezuelan oil and positioning for a future Iran conflict, and questioned why similar action has not been taken against Mexican cartels.
- Greene also questioned Trump’s foreign‑policy consistency by comparing the U.S. raid to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s threats toward Taiwan, explicitly saying she was not endorsing Russia or China.
- Rep. Don Bacon supported the operation’s outcome but warned that Russia and China could use it as justification for their own military aggression against Ukraine and Taiwan.
4:38 PM
Venezuelan opposition leader releases letter after Maduro's capture
New information:
- Opposition leader María Corina Machado released a public letter declaring that 'the time for freedom has come' after Maduro’s capture and saying he will 'face international justice' for crimes against Venezuelans and others.
- Machado calls on the Venezuelan armed forces to recognize Edmundo González Urrutia as the 'legitimate President of Venezuela' and commander-in-chief and says he must 'immediately assume his constitutional mandate.'
- She urges Venezuelans inside the country to prepare to act on instructions that will come through opposition 'official channels' and asks Venezuelans abroad to mobilize foreign governments and citizens to support a 'great operation of building the new Venezuela.'
- The article reiterates that Machado, largely in hiding over the last year and a 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, escaped to Norway in a secret mission last month and has publicly supported President Trump’s increasing military pressure on Maduro.
4:23 PM
What are the charges against Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro?
New information:
- Confirms that a new superseding indictment against Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores has been unsealed in the Southern District of New York and posted publicly by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
- Lists Maduro’s specific current charges: Narco‑Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess those weapons.
- States that the new indictment alleges Maduro, Flores and other senior Venezuelan officials have, since 1999, partnered with international drug‑trafficking organizations to move "thousands of tons" of cocaine into the United States.
- Adds that the November 2025 U.S. designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization is part of the legal buildup to this indictment.
- Details that the new indictment broadens earlier 2020 allegations by asserting Maduro "partnered" with multiple specific cartels: the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas and Tren de Aragua, in addition to FARC and the Cartel de los Soles.
- Reiterates prior 2020 allegations that Maduro helped lead the Cartel de los Soles, negotiated multi‑ton shipments, provided military‑grade weapons to FARC and coordinated foreign affairs with Honduras and others to facilitate drug trafficking.
4:22 PM
Watch Live: Trump speaks after Venezuelan strikes, Maduro capture
New information:
- Trump, in a Fox & Friends call‑in, confirms that Nicolás Maduro and his wife are being flown to New York to face charges in the Southern District of New York.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi has shared a superseding indictment prepared by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton charging Maduro with conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possessing and conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices, mirroring the 2020 case.
- Trump provides operational detail that Maduro was captured at a heavily fortified residence with steel doors and a steel 'safety space' panic area that he did not reach before being overpowered; U.S. forces had prepared blow torches to breach the steel if needed.
- Trump says he believes no U.S. troops were killed in the operation, noting that 'a couple of guys were hit' but are expected to be in 'pretty good shape.'
- Trump states that the operation had been planned for four days earlier but was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions, then launched when conditions 'opened up.'
4:06 PM
Live updates: U.S. captures Maduro and his wife after striking Venezuela
New information:
- Confirms that the United States conducted a "large-scale strike" early Saturday in Venezuela and that Maduro and his wife were captured from their home, placed on a U.S. warship, and are being transported to New York to face criminal charges.
- Reports that the Justice Department has released a new indictment against Maduro and his wife, alleging he led a "corrupt, illegitimate government" that protected and promoted illegal activity including drug trafficking.
- Details DOJ allegations that Maduro partnered with violent drug traffickers and narco‑terrorists to move up to roughly 250 tons of cocaine through Venezuela by 2020, using go‑fast boats, fishing vessels, container ships and planes from clandestine airstrips.
- Quotes the United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric saying the UN is "deeply alarmed" by the U.S. strikes and Maduro’s reported detention, warning they may violate international law and set a "dangerous precedent."
- Quotes China’s Foreign Ministry as being "deeply shocked," strongly condemning the strike and capture as "hegemonic acts" that seriously violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty, and urging the U.S. to comply with the UN Charter.
- Adds operational detail from Trump that a helicopter was hit during the raid and that "a few" U.S. personnel were injured, though none are believed to have been killed.
- Notes that Trump compared the operation to the 1990 U.S. action that seized Panama’s Manuel Noriega, underscoring the precedent of removing a sitting foreign leader to face U.S. criminal charges.
4:00 PM
Maduro met Chinese envoy hours before US capture from Caracas as Beijing slams operation
New information:
- Nicolás Maduro met Chinese special representative for Latin American affairs Qiu Xiaoqi at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on Friday, just hours before his capture by U.S. forces.
- During the meeting, Maduro and Qiu reaffirmed Caracas–Beijing strategic ties and Maduro pledged to build what he called a 'multipolar world of development and peace.'
- China’s foreign ministry said it was 'deeply shocked' and 'strongly condemns' the U.S. use of force against a 'sovereign state' and its leader, calling it 'hegemonic behavior' that 'seriously violates international law' and 'threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.'
- The article underscores that China is Venezuela’s largest crude oil importer and has provided billions of dollars in financing and energy investment through the Belt and Road Initiative.
- It reiterates that senior Trump administration officials have explicitly framed their regional posture as a reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine aimed at countering strategic footholds by authoritarian rivals such as China in the Americas.
3:56 PM
What we know about a U.S. strike that captured Venezuela's Maduro
New information:
- AP/PBS specifies that at least seven explosions were heard in Caracas and that the strike lasted less than 30 minutes, targeting military infrastructure including a base hangar and another installation that lost power.
- Venezuelan ruling party figure Nahum Fernández told the Associated Press that Maduro and Cilia Flores were at their home within the Ft. Tiuna military installation when they were captured, adding detail on the capture site.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a post on X, outlined that Maduro faces charges of Narco‑Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States; she confirmed both Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, with Flores’ indictment previously undisclosed.
- The article reiterates Trump’s statement that Maduro and his wife are aboard a U.S. warship en route to New York and highlights lingering questions about the legality of the strike under U.S. and international law, including reference to the U.S. position on the International Criminal Court.
- It places the strike in a concise timeline of the broader campaign: months of naval buildup, dozens of lethal maritime strikes on alleged drug‑smuggling boats since early September, and a CIA drone strike on a Venezuelan dock the prior week.
3:30 PM
Maduro gave state TV address as US strikes in Venezuela began: report
New information:
- Provides direct quotes from Maduro’s address condemning the strikes as an 'attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela' and 'grave military aggression.'
- Specifies alleged strike locations beyond Caracas, including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
- Reports that Maduro signed a decree for a nationwide state of 'external disturbance' expanding emergency powers and potentially limiting civil liberties.
- Describes Venezuelan state TV images of troop deployments to strategic infrastructure and emergency meetings of officials, and government claims that the U.S. is seeking to seize oil and mineral reserves.
2:21 PM
World leaders denounce U.S. operation to capture Maduro
New information:
- Provides specific quotes and wording from Brazilian President Lula’s condemnation, including his description of the raid as an 'unacceptable line' and 'most serious affront' to sovereignty and multilateralism.
- Details Mexico’s precise framing of Latin America and the Caribbean as a 'zone of peace' whose stability is threatened by any military action.
- Adds Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro’s 'deep concern' language and explicit emphasis on peace, international law, and protection of life over armed confrontation.
- Identifies the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’ nuanced stance that Maduro 'lacks legitimacy' but the UN Charter must still be respected.
- Notes that Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, while previously critical of U.S. moves in Venezuela, now calls broadly for 'de-escalation' rather than directly endorsing or condemning the raid.
- Highlights Argentine President Javier Milei’s celebratory reaction using his 'LONG LIVE FREEDOM!' slogan, illustrating a clear pro-U.S. outlier stance in the region.
1:49 PM
Republicans line up behind Trump after US strikes Venezuela, Maduro arrested: 'Changed the course of history'
New information:
- Rep. Carlos Gimenez called Trump’s move 'this hemisphere’s equivalent to the Fall of the Berlin Wall' and said 'President Trump has changed the course of history in our hemisphere.'
- Sen. Tom Cotton said after speaking with Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Maduro 'will face justice for his crimes against our citizens' and urged Venezuela’s interim government to decide whether to continue drug trafficking and ties with Iran and Cuba.
- Sen. Mike Lee, initially questioning constitutional justification absent an AUMF, later said Rubio told him Maduro had been arrested to face U.S. criminal charges and argued the action likely fell within the president’s inherent Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel from actual or imminent attack.
- Rep. Mario Diaz‑Balart issued a detailed statement accusing Maduro of sending drugs into the U.S., kidnapping Americans, and aiding cartel members, and praised Trump for acting 'with resolve' while 'others dithered.'
- Article reports that Rubio personally briefed multiple members of Congress after the operation, shaping their public reactions.
1:22 PM
US capture of Maduro championed, condemned across world stage after surgical Venezuela strikes
New information:
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez condemned the U.S. attack on Venezuela on X as a 'criminal attack' and said the Latin American 'zone of peace is being brutally assaulted.'
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro formally rejected 'any unilateral military action' by the U.S. in Venezuela, warned of regional destabilization, and said Colombia is taking unspecified preventive measures to protect civilians and border stability.
- Mexico’s foreign ministry, amplified by President Claudia Sheinbaum, condemned the U.S. intervention as a 'clear violation' of international law and said any such military action puts Latin American and Caribbean stability at 'serious risk.'
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry publicly condemned the U.S. strikes in Venezuela.
- Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a close Trump ally, praised the reported capture of Maduro, reshared a prior video denouncing Maduro’s 'narco-terrorist' regime, and posted his signature 'Long live freedom, dammit!' slogan in support.
- European Council President António Costa said he is following events 'with great concern' and urged de-escalation, calling for a solution in 'full respect of international law and the U.N. Charter.'
- UK Reform leader Nigel Farage called the U.S. actions 'unorthodox and contrary to international law' but suggested they might still have a positive deterrent effect on China and Russia, while expressing hope Venezuelans could 'turn a new leaf without Maduro.'
12:05 PM
Trump faces quick criticism from Democrats over Maduro capture
New information:
- Identifies specific Democratic critics (Andy Kim, Darren Soto, Seth Moulton) who argue Trump overstepped by not seeking prior authorization for the Caracas strikes that supported the Maduro capture.
- Reports Soto’s call for 'extensive hearings' in Congress on the strike and broader U.S. efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela.
- Details that prior testimony from top Trump officials to Congress had indicated the U.S. was not seeking to oust Maduro and would seek congressional approval for any ground operations.
- Includes Sen. Mike Lee's public view that Trump 'likely' acted within Article II powers to defend U.S. troops, signaling emerging partisan lines on the legal justification.
11:52 AM
US strikes Venezuela and says its leader, Maduro, has been captured and flown out of the country
New information:
- Provides AP/PBS confirmation of the operational context around Trump’s claim, including that the strike in Caracas was described as "large-scale" and lasted less than 30 minutes early on Jan. 3, 2026.
- Adds Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez’s public statement that she does not know Maduro’s whereabouts, asserts the government is demanding "proof of life" for Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, and characterizes the action as an "imperialist attack."
- Specifically locates visible damage and smoke at La Carlota military airport and reports at least seven blasts heard in Caracas.
- Reports that the FAA imposed a ban on U.S. commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace due to "ongoing military activity" prior to the explosions.
- Reiterates that Maduro was previously indicted in March 2020 in the Southern District of New York on narco‑terrorism conspiracy charges, tying the capture claim explicitly into an existing U.S. case file.
- Clarifies that it remained unclear who was running Venezuela immediately after the strike, although under Venezuelan law Vice President Rodríguez would be next in line.
11:51 AM
World reaction to U.S. strikes on Venezuela pours in
New information:
- Provides international diplomatic context to Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture, including sharp condemnations from Cuba, Iran and Russia and deescalation calls from the EU and Spain.
- Highlights that Russia is backing requests for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting over the strikes.
- Shows that EU leadership, while reiterating their view that Maduro lacks legitimacy, is simultaneously stressing respect for international law and the U.N. Charter and focusing on the safety of EU nationals in Venezuela.
11:37 AM
Maduro's capture draws echoes of Noriega in 1990
New information:
- Provides historical context by comparing Maduro’s seizure to the U.S. invasion of Panama and capture of Manuel Noriega on drug-trafficking charges.
- Details that Noriega successfully argued to be treated as a prisoner of war rather than a common criminal, setting a legal precedent for status disputes that may recur in Maduro’s case.
- Reports that Sen. Mike Lee publicly stated on X that he was told Maduro would be brought to the U.S. for criminal trial, suggesting internal expectations within Congress about where he will face charges.
- Emphasizes that questions about how Maduro will be charged, how he will be treated, and where he will be held are unresolved and likely to generate years of court battles.