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U.S. Strikes Venezuela as Trump Says Maduro Captured for U.S. Trial

The administration labels the pre-dawn action an arrest rooted in SDNY indictments, prompting urgent questions over sovereignty and presidential war powers.

File photo of Donald Trump & plumes of smoke rising in Caracas, Venezuela after US strikes | Reuters
Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. The United States military was behind a series of strikes against the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday.
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Overview

  • Explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported around 2 a.m. in Caracas and the nearby states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, with videos showing fires near military sites including La Carlota and Fuerte Tiuna.
  • President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi say Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were taken into U.S. custody to face SDNY charges including narco‑terrorism, with Trump later posting a photo and telling Fox News they are aboard the USS Iwo Jima heading to New York.
  • Venezuela’s government denounced the operation as military aggression, demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores, reported civilian disruptions, and requested an emergency United Nations Security Council session.
  • Members of Congress pressed for the legal basis and notification for the strikes, while some Republicans framed the action as executing a valid arrest warrant after Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed Sen. Mike Lee.
  • Global reaction split quickly, with Russia, Iran, Mexico, Brazil and others condemning the operation as unlawful, Argentina praising it, Colombia urging U.N. action and deploying to the border, and the FAA restricting U.S. flights in Venezuelan airspace.