BY PC Bureau
January 3, 2026 — US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared that the United States would take control of governing Venezuela following the claimed capture of President Nicolás Maduro, saying Washington would “run the country” until a political transition is completed and authorising major US oil companies to take over and rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Speaking at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said the decision was taken to prevent further instability and ensure that any future leadership acts “in the best interests of the Venezuelan people.” He did not offer a timeline for how long US oversight would last. “We’re going to run the country until such time as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place,” he said.
Trump also announced plans to hand control of Venezuela’s oil sector to major American energy companies, claiming they would invest billions of dollars to repair what he described as a “badly broken” system. “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, fix the infrastructure and start making money for the country,” he said, adding that the move would restore production and stabilise the economy of the oil-rich nation.
READ: Trump Claims Maduro Captured After ‘Large-Scale’ US Airstrikes
Second strike ‘probably not necessary’
The president said the US had been fully prepared to launch a second, larger military attack on Venezuela but suggested it was now unlikely to be needed following what he described as the success of the initial operation. “We were prepared to do a second wave — we actually assumed a second wave would be necessary — but now it’s probably not,” Trump said. He added that while contingency plans remain in place, “the first attack was so successful, we probably don’t have to do a second.”
Trump described the overnight mission as a “pinpoint” operation carried out in the early hours of Saturday, claiming elite US forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, without prolonged fighting. He praised the operation as a major military success, stressing that no American service members were killed and no US equipment was lost. “Not a single American service member was killed and not a single piece of American equipment was lost,” he said, adding that the mission involved helicopters, aircraft and multiple specialised units.
The president also claimed that power was cut across large parts of Caracas during the operation, saying Venezuelan military capabilities were neutralised under cover of darkness. “It was dark — the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,” Trump said. “It was dark and it was deadly.”
Trumps on Venezuela: “We’re gonna run the country until an orderly transition is possible”.
Announces “big US oil companies” will come in with “big investments”.https://t.co/Mx7bUIHHwU
— Daniela Schwarzer (@D_Schwarzer) January 3, 2026
Maduro indictment and custody claims
Trump has said Maduro and his wife were flown out of Venezuela and are now in US custody, where they face multiple criminal charges. US Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier said the couple had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offences involving machine guns and destructive devices.
US officials cited by American media said elite US military units, assisted by the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, were involved in the operation. Trump later posted an image on social media purporting to show Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, a US Navy assault ship deployed in the Caribbean.
There has been no independent confirmation of Maduro’s capture, and Venezuelan authorities have not acknowledged Trump’s claims.
Explosions in Caracas, Venezuela’s response
The statements came hours after multiple explosions rocked Caracas, with residents reporting low-flying aircraft, fires and power outages near military installations. Videos circulating on social media showed flames and thick plumes of smoke rising over parts of the capital, though casualties have not been confirmed.
Venezuela’s government accused Washington of attacking civilian and military targets, calling the operation an “imperialist attack,” and urged supporters to mobilise. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the deployment of military forces across the country, describing the strikes as the “worst aggression” Venezuela has ever faced. He did not address claims that Maduro had been captured.
Escalation after months of pressure
Saturday’s developments follow months of escalating pressure by the Trump administration, which has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and of rigging last year’s presidential election — allegations Maduro has dismissed as part of a foreign-backed effort to remove him from power.
Since late 2025, the US has significantly expanded its military presence in the Caribbean, carrying out strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels and, according to US officials, a recent drone strike on a Venezuelan coastal facility. Trump has repeatedly warned that land-based operations were under consideration.
International reaction remains cautious, with calls for restraint growing amid fears that the situation could further destabilise the region, already strained by Venezuela’s economic crisis and mass migration. Further clarity is expected as official responses emerge from Caracas and Washington.
