Trump kidnaps Venezuela leader amid bombing raids

Jay Jackson
03 Jan 2026, 15:30 GMT+10

The daring operation took place in the early hours of Saturday morning as U.S.foces bombed the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
The bombing raids and capture of Maduro and his wife will cause shockwaves around the world.
"This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow.," President Trump posted on Truth Social.

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump in a shock announcement has revealed the United States has abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

The daring operation took place in the early hours of Saturday morning as U.S. forces bombed the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and various states in the country, including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said the Venezuelan leader and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country.

The bombing raids and abduction of Maduro and his wife will cause shockwaves around the world. The U.S. has built up a massive force off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks, while sanctions have been imposed on tankers transporting Venezuelan oil. Two tankers have been seized by U.S forces and are now in U.S. custody. President Trump has given Americans little notice of what his intentions have been. Until now.

"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," the Trump message on Truth Social, posted minutes ago said.

"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," the post said.

Prior to news of Maduro's kidnapping, and that of his wife, the Venezuelan government had responded to the early morning bombings of its capital and other states.

"Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people," a Venezuelan government statement said.

The country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López described the U.S. attacks as an invasion, and confirmed the Fort Tiuna military installation in Caracas was attacked.

"This invasion represents the greatest outrage the country has suffered," he told reporters.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was angered by the news.

"We have no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war," he posted on X. "We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now. And he's not even bothering to tell the American public what the hell is going on," he added.

(Photo credit: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria | Reuters).