Nicolas Maduro on a US warship, will face prosecution in New York, says Donald Trump

“We’ll be involved in it very much” as to who will govern the country, Trump said.

“We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left, or left off,” Trump said.

‘Democrats shouldn’t say it is not constitutional’

Trump also brushed off criticism from Democratic lawmakers that he did not seek permission from Congress ahead of time and that the strike was illegal. He called his Democratic critics “weak, stupid people” and blaming his political opponents for inflation in the U.S.

He said the operation in Venezuela was “really genius.”

“All they do is complain,” he said of the Democrats.

“They should say, ‘Great job.’ They shouldn’t say, ‘Oh Gee, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we’ve been hearing for years and years and years,” Trump said.

The US President also revealed that he watched the capture of Maduro in real-time.

"I've never seen anything like this. I was able to watch it in real time, and I watched every aspect of it," says @POTUS on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

"It was amazing to see the professionalism — the quality of leadership… Amazing." 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VZvRxZRgab

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026

Trump means what he says: Vance

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said the US offered multiple off ramps to Maduro.

“The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says. Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation,” Vance said on X.

The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.

Kudos to our brave… pic.twitter.com/b1fqkdbB4x

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2026

Maduro will face full wrath of American justice

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would face charges after an indictment in New York.

Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”

Charges against Maduro

Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges.

Following their capture by the US military, the Justice Department released a new indictment of Maduro and his wife for their alleged role in narco-terrorism conspiracy.

The indictment accuses Maduro of leading a “corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” It alleges that the drug trafficking efforts “enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite.”

US authorities allege that Maduro partnered with “some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” to bring tons of cocaine into the U.S., according to the indictment.

Trump approved operation before Christmas

US media, citing official sources, reported that President Trump approved the military actions in Venezuela more than a week ago.

Approval for the plan came before Christmas, and apparently, when the mission would actually occur has been discussed almost hour by hour since then.