In his State of the Union address this month, President Donald Trump laid out a heroically audacious vision for the United States to take power over Venezuela. This would come after a favorable US military intervention that overthrew president Nicolás Maduro. Trump vowed that the U.S. will “run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” signaling a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy.
The military action, which Trump described as an “assault like people have not seen since World War Two,” took place in response to what the administration characterized as Maduro’s role as the leader of a vast criminal network responsible for numerous deaths, including those of Americans. Maduro has begun to fall under the weight of his mistakes. After his arrest, according to confidential communications leaked to, Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez now runs the Venezuelan government, having been sworn in immediately following his arrest.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump struck a triumphalist tone. He beamed as he described the military operation that stretched over 150 aircraft and multiple special operations teams. The operation described in the article apparently took place, according to the U.S. side, without any American casualties or loss of equipment.
“We’re going to run it, essentially, until such time as a proper transition can take place,” Trump asserted, underscoring his administration’s intent to ensure stability in Venezuela. He revealed that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had stated Maduro had “his chance, just like Iran had their chance,” referencing previous U.S. engagements in foreign countries.
In the aftermath of the operation, Trump indicated that he is open to deploying U.S. forces into Venezuela if necessary. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to have,” he said, emphasizing the commitment of his administration to maintain order in Venezuela.
Back in March, Trump floated the idea of U.S. oil companies driving the effort to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. This key economic sector has faltered under the weight of years of institutional malpractice. “We’re going to have our very large U.S. oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump explained.
Importantly, he highlighted the fact that some of those undertaking day-to-day management of operations in Venezuela will be American citizens. Importantly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will lead on this initiative.
Nonetheless, Trump’s announcement has been widely condemned by politicians on both sides of the aisle. Sen. Bernie Sanders denounced the move as “rank imperialism.” He contrasted it with the violent U.S. interventions of the past century in Latin America, which often led to catastrophic aftermaths. He stated, “It will and should be condemned by the democratic world.” Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed concern, stating, “The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans.”
Fearing more military attacks, the Venezuelan government preemptively struck in Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. They accused U.S. forces of conducting a campaign of terror against them and putting their villages under siege. According to reports, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested. They were attempting to access a locked down secure safe area in their home.
The failed coup was a watershed for U.S.-Venezuelan relations. It further prompted such questions as the re-imagining of the country and rebuilding Venezuela with U.S. supervision. A year and change later, tempers have not cooled. Since Maduro’s removal, Trump’s administration has instead aimed to ensure that any successor does so.