Overview
- Gen. Dan Caine said more than 150 aircraft from 20 bases supported low‑level helicopter insertions into Caracas, with the team reaching Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. ET and exiting over water by about 3:29 a.m.
- U.S. forces took Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores into custody after multiple self‑defense engagements; one helicopter was struck but remained flyable, and officials reported no U.S. fatalities.
- The Justice Department unsealed Southern District of New York indictments alleging narco‑terrorism and related offenses, and the detainees were placed aboard the USS Iwo Jima for transfer to New York.
- President Trump ordered the mission at 10:46 p.m. ET, praised the operation, said the United States will run Venezuela until a transition, and signaled a larger second wave could follow if required.
- The White House did not brief Congress in advance, prompting Republican praise for the capture and Democratic objections over legal authority and the absence of a clear transition plan for Venezuela.