⬥President Trump Holds Press Conference Regarding the arrest of Venezuela's Nicholas Maduro.

Christopher Smith 3 January 2026

On January 3rd, 2026 President Donald Trump held a press conference (https://www.youtube.com/live/SsdkClL2_bg?si=y38VdZI1vDre5wxj&t=2836) to inform the nation, "The United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela."

Why did the US conduct this operation?

Trump says, "To bring outlaw dictator Nicholas Maduro to justice." Trump later remarks that Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, was also captured and will both "face American justice."

What 'justice'?

"We want peace, liberty, and justice, for the great people of Venezuela." Trump says.

How will this affect the lives of Americans?

"We've knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by sea. Each boat kills on 25,000 people on average. And those drugs mostly come from a place called Venezuela."

During the operation, were there any losses on the American side?

No. Trump remarked multiple times throughout the conference that, "not a single service member was killed and not a single piece of equipment was lost."

What happens to Venezuela now?

"We are going to run the country until such time. As we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. We don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.", according to Trump.