Trump Confirms U.S. Attack On Venezuela, Capturing Nicolás Maduro

Networks provided early morning special reports on Saturday as explosions were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, what President Donald Trump later confirmed was a “large scale strike” in the country and that it’s leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.

Trump, in Mar-a-Lago for the holiday break, posted at 4:21 a.m. ET, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

NBC News’ Peter Alexander anchored an NBC News special report from 4 a.m. ET to 6:45 a.m. ET, before anchoring Saturday Today with Laura Jarrett.

ABC News’ Alison Kosik provided a special report, noting that “there have been scenes of multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft,” starting about 2 a.m. local time.

CBS News’ Jennifer Jacobs reported that Maduro was captured by Delta Force, the elite special mission unit. The network also was up with an early morning special report, with images of explosions in Caracas.

Fox News’ Chanley Painter anchored coverage starting in the 1 a.m. ET hour, along with Eric Shawn through the early morning. Griff Jenkins took over coverage at 5 a.m. ET, leading up to Fox & Friends Weekend at 6 a.m. ET. Trump later talked on the phone to the network. “I watched it literally like I was watching a TV show,” Trump said of the U.S. operation. “The speed, the violence … it was an amazing thing. It was amazing job that these people did.”

On CNN, anchor Elex Michaelson, who hosts a nightly show from Los Angeles, reported at about 1:42 a.m. on the explosions heard in Caracas. He eported that CNN’s own teams “personally witnessed explosions” starting at around 1:15 a.m. in the morning local time. He then went to a phone interview with journalist Mary Mena.

The strikes may have been a surprise in timing, but not that they were carried out, as media attention has focused on the increased U.S. military pressure campaign against Maduro. But it also raises questions of Trump’s authority to carry out the strikes without congressional authorization.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) wrote on X, “I look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.” He later wrote that he had a conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant. This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.”

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement, “If the United States asserts the right to use military force to invade and capture foreign leaders it accuses of criminal conduct, what prevents China from claiming the same authority over Taiwan’s leadership? What stops Vladimir Putin from asserting similar justification to abduct Ukraine’s president? Once this line is crossed, the rules that restrain global chaos begin to collapse, and authoritarian regimes will be the first to exploit it.

“None of this absolves Maduro. He is a corrupt authoritarian who has repressed his people, stolen elections, imprisoned political opponents, and presided over a humanitarian catastrophe that has forced millions of Venezuelans to flee. The Venezuelan people deserve democratic leadership, and the United States and the international community should have done far more, years ago, to press for a peaceful transition after Maduro lost a vote of his own citizens. But recognizing Maduro’s crimes does not give any president the authority to ignore the Constitution.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi later noted that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been indicted on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi wrote.

Trump is scheduled to have a news conference at 11 a.m. ET.

More to come.