Overview
- President Trump singled out Secretary of State Marco Rubio to help “run” Venezuela for a period and to coordinate protection of U.S. oil interests following the operation that removed Nicolás Maduro.
- U.S. special operations forces carried out the raid that captured Maduro over the weekend, and Rubio watched the mission in real time with Trump and senior national security officials at Mar-a-Lago, according to the Washington Examiner.
- Vice President JD Vance did not attend the Mar-a-Lago watch and instead monitored the operation remotely, with his office citing security concerns about co-locating him with the president during the raid.
- Betting market Polymarket still lists Vance as the 2028 GOP favorite, but Rubio’s odds have roughly doubled since the Maduro capture, reflecting his elevated role.
- Analysts quoted by iNews and Alternet describe Rubio’s assignment as a potential ‘poisoned chalice’ that could make or break his future, noting both political upside and steep risks in managing Venezuela’s next steps.