Trump Declares U.S. Will Run Venezuela After Maduro’s Capture, Bypasses Congress

The United States will take direct control of Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were seized and flown to New York on Saturday, PulseNets learnt.

Speaking during a nationally televised address at approximately 11:00 a.m., President Donald Trump announced Washington’s intention to oversee the South American country until a transition is completed.

“We are going to run the country until such time that we can carry out a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” Mr Trump declared.

Responding to questions about how the Venezuelan intervention aligns with his long-standing “America First” doctrine, the U.S. president argued that regional stability was a core national interest.

“We want to surround ourselves with good neighbours,” he said.

Mr Trump further stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth would jointly coordinate efforts with Venezuelan citizens to administer the country. However, no operational framework or governance model was disclosed during the broadcast, PulseNets obtained.

The U.S. president also declined to specify the expected duration of America’s presence in Venezuela, offering only a broad timeline.

“I’d like to do it quickly, but it takes a period of time,” he noted.

In a stern warning to potential dissenters, Mr Trump said any political or military figures who attempt to resist U.S. authority could face consequences similar to those meted out to Mr Maduro.

“All political and military figures must realise that what happened to Maduro can happen to them,” he warned.

Mr Trump further announced that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had already been sworn in as the country’s interim president. According to Mr Rubio, Ms Rodríguez has pledged full cooperation with the United States-led administration of Venezuela, PulseNets reported.

Also Read: U.S. Military Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady

The U.S. leader also revealed that Congress was excluded from the decision-making process, citing concerns over information leaks.

“Lawmakers have a notoriety for leaking information,” Mr Trump said.