Donald Trump Orders Military Operation and Captures Nicolás Maduro

Donald Trump launched a series of unilateral military operations in Venezuela in January 2026 without prior authorization from Congress. During these operations, U.S. troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a news conference following the operation, Trump cited the 1823 Monroe Doctrine to justify the military intervention. The move occurred amidst public debate over Project 2025, a policy roadmap produced by The Heritage Foundation.

While critics linked the action to the document, the text of Project 2025 proposes collaborative security efforts with regional allies to address Southern Hemisphere threats. The document's use of the term re-hemisphering refers to shifting manufacturing and industry from China to Latin American countries for economic stability rather than advocating for unilateral military force.