Trump Orders Capture of Maduro and Seizes Venezuelan Oil

On January 3, 2026, Donald Trump authorized Operation Absolute Resolve, a large-scale military strike in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The operation, executed by Delta Force and supported by over 150 aircraft, utilized a classified pulsed energy weapon termed the "discombobulator" to disable air defenses. Maduro and Flores were transported to New York to face federal charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, to which both pleaded not guilty. The raid caused significant casualties, with reports indicating between 55 and 100 deaths, including 32 Cuban security officers.

Following the ouster, Trump asserted that the U.S. would "run" Venezuela during a transition period to ensure American dominance in the Western Hemisphere, a strategy he termed the "Donroe Doctrine." He installed former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, sidelining opposition leader María Corina Machado. The administration established an "Energy Trusteeship" to manage the state oil company, PDVSA, and implemented a naval blockade to seize sanctioned "ghost fleet" tankers. The U.S. subsequently began selling 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, with proceeds held in U.S.-controlled accounts to fund infrastructure rebuilding and benefit both nations.

International reactions were sharply divided. Russia, China, and Brazil condemned the action as a violation of international law, while leaders in Argentina and Israel praised the removal of Maduro. Domestically, the operation sparked a partisan divide, with Democrats and some Republicans criticizing the lack of congressional authorization. In response, the U.S. Senate advanced a War Powers resolution to limit further unauthorized military actions in the region.