President Donald Trump watched American soldiers capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro overnight, according to pictures posted on social media.
Trump reportedly gave the green light last night.
"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.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
"It was amazing to see the professionalism — the quality of leadership... Amazing." 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VZvRxZRgab
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
.@POTUS: "We want to surround ourself with good neighbors. We want to surround ourself with stability. We want to surround ourself with energy... we need that for ourselves, we need that for the world—and we want to make sure we can protect it." pic.twitter.com/6qlVe6TqJo
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
.@POTUS on Colombian President Gustavo Petro: "He's making cocaine. They're sending it into the United States — so he does have to watch his ass." https://t.co/mRqOsouW8V pic.twitter.com/aJeFDbuylk
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
.@thejointstaff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine: "At 10:46 P.M. Eastern time last night, @POTUS ordered the United States military to move forward with this mission.... He said to us... 'Good luck, and Godspeed' — and those words were transmitted to the entire joint force." pic.twitter.com/yQyRPFlJoQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
For years, Nicolas Maduro, the cartel he leads, and other cartels in Latin America have trafficked drugs into the United States, which have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro,…
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) January 3, 2026
.@SecWar: "Words can barely capture the bravery, and the power, and the precision of this historic operation... What all of us witnessed last night was sheer guts, and grit, gallantry and glory of the American warrior." pic.twitter.com/SwUiWl0JNU
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026