Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday offered a dramatic account of what he described as the final moments before the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, presenting detailed about a U.S. military operation.
Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, President Trump described what he called “decisive moments” leading up to Maduro’s capture. He claimed Maduro attempted to reach a shelter but failed to do so before U.S. forces breached the room. “It took us just 47 seconds to blow the door and storm the room,” Trump said. “He was taken with almost no resistance… he was terrified,” he added.
Trump was joined by General Dan Kane, identified as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who provided a detailed military narrative of the alleged operation. Kane said U.S. forces targeted Venezuelan air defense systems to allow elite units to reach Maduro’s residence in Caracas safely. According to his account, joint air operations disabled radar and air defense networks ahead of the assault, ensuring safe passage for helicopters carrying special forces and the safe extraction of all U.S. personnel.
Kane claimed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, surrendered and were handed over to the U.S. Department of Justice with military assistance, asserting that the arrests were carried out under legal procedures in preparation for trial in the United States. U.S. authorities have previously accused Maduro of drug trafficking, corruption, and involvement in what Washington describes as narco-terrorism.
In a highly provocative move, Trump later shared an image on social media purporting to show Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded aboard a U.S. warship, accompanied by the caption: “This is how it ends for those who threaten America’s security.” The image and the claims surrounding it have not been independently verified.
Venezuelan authorities rejected Trump’s account, saying they had no information on Maduro’s whereabouts and demanding proof that he was alive. The Venezuelan foreign ministry described the alleged operation as an “unjustified military aggression” and said it would submit an urgent complaint to the United Nations Security Council and other international bodies, accusing Washington of violating Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Russia also weighed in, with its foreign ministry expressing “full solidarity with the Venezuelan people” and warning that, if confirmed, such actions would constitute a grave breach of international law and set a dangerous precedent. Moscow called for preventing further escalation in the region.
In the United States, the claims sparked controversy as well. Several members of Congress described the alleged operation as illegal, citing the absence of congressional authorization or a United Nations mandate. Despite the criticism, Trump defended the move, saying Maduro would be prosecuted for crimes including drug trafficking, corruption, and oil theft.
Trump concluded his remarks with a warning to other Venezuelan leaders, saying they should not follow Maduro’s path and threatening even harsher consequences if they did.
As with earlier statements regarding events in Venezuela, no independent confirmation has been provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Justice Department, or international observers. Analysts have cautioned that assertions of this scale would represent a historic escalation and would normally be accompanied by clear, coordinated official disclosures, leaving the situation clouded by uncertainty and competing narratives.
