Breaking: Venezuela attacked by U.S. Update: Maduro and wife captured.

[wing2000]

Why in earth would they notify congress? One leak would destroy this operation. What a ridiculous idea that anyone would suggest it. I'm not saying you did by the way. I'm just noting there are prople who did and what a dumb idea that would be.

For decades, presidents have briefed the "group of eight" before carrying out military operations against other countries. And there were no leaks.

 

[wing2000]

Notification to certain committees or committee members in congress has occurred in similar situations without problem. It would be the normal thing to do.

The reason for a president to do it is to demonstrate that he has the slightest regard for the way the US constitution assigns and limits the powers of the various branches of govt.

They can do anything they want....and this Congress has let them.

 

[Tuur]

This seems very similar to Russia attacking Kiev to kill Zelenskyy.

Uhh...no. You might have to go back to the US attacking Tripoli, supposedly to take out Khaddaffi.

 

[wing2000]

Key quotes from the Trump's press conference - today, 3 January.


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

And it has to be judicious because that's what we're all about. We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country. It's their homeland. We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind."

We've had decades of that. We're not going to let that happen. We're there now, and what people don't understand but they understand as I, as I say this. We're there now, but we're going to stay until such time as the pop- -- proper transition can take place. So we're gonna stay until such time as, we're gonna run it, essentially, until such time as a proper transition can take place.

As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust, for a long period of time. They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been pumping and what could've taken place. We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.

And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so, so we were prepared to do a second wave if we needed to do so. We actually assumed that a second wave would be necessary, but now it's probably not. The first wave, if you'd like to call it that, the first attack was so successful we probably don't have to do a second, but we're prepared to do a second wave, a much bigger wave, actually.

This was pinpoint, but we have a much bigger wave that we probably won't have to do. This partnership of Venezuela with the United States of America, a country that everybody wants to be involved with because of what we're able to do and accomplish, will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent, and safe."

https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-conference-venezuela-maduro-january-3-2026/

 

[wing2000]

Reporter's question:

"Mr. President, does the US running the country mean that US troops will be on the ground? How will that work?"

Well, you know, they always say boots on the ground. Oh, so we're not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to have. We had boots on the ground last night at a very high level, actually. We're not afraid of it. We don't mind saying it, but, uh, we're gonna make sure that that country is run properly. We're not doing this in vain.

 

[Tuur]

For decades, presidents have briefed the "group of eight" before carrying out military operations against other countries. And there were no leaks.

I think you mean the Gang of Eight, who are privy to intel. Whether they are always informed before carrying out all military operations is an open question. Technically, informed minutes before an action would count as prior notification.

 

[wing2000]

Mr. President, what's the group you mentioned that would run Venezuela?

Well, it's largely going to be for a period of time, uh, the people that are standing right behind me. We're gonna be running it. We're gonna be bringing it back. It's a, it's a dead, you know, I talk about a dead country. A year and a half ago, we were a dead country. Now, we're the hottest country anywhere in the world.


We're a country doing better than any country, anywhere in the world. And, uh, it required leadership. Venezuela has a lot of bad people in there, a lot of bad people that shouldn't be leading. We're not gonna take a chance that one of those people take over for Maduro. So, uh, you can look at, and, and others.

We have fantastic people, including people in the military. So we're gonna have a group of people running it until such time as it can be put back on track, make a lot of money for the people, and give people a great way of life, and also reimbursement for people in our country that were forced out of Venezuela.


Shades of Iraq....except this will become a quagmire a lot quicker....

 

[wing2000]

I think you mean the Gang of Eight, who are privy to intel. Whether they are always informed before carrying out all military operations is an open question. Technically, informed minutes before an action would count as prior notification.

Yes, Gang of Eight.

 

[wing2000]

Reporter: Did you notify any members of Congress in advance?

Trump: "Marco, do you wanna talk about that because you were involved?"

Rubio: "Sure. We called members of Congress immediately after. This was not the kind of mission that you can do congressional notification on. It was a, a trigger based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night. We watched and monitored that for a number of days. So it's just s- -- simply not the kind of mission you can call people and say, "Hey, we may do this at some point in the next 15 days." But it's largely a law enforcement function."

Note: Senator Rubio served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He certainly knows better.

 

[RDKirk]

Mr. President, what's the group you mentioned that would run Venezuela?

Well, it's largely going to be for a period of time, uh, the people that are standing right behind me. We're gonna be running it. We're gonna be bringing it back. It's a, it's a dead, you know, I talk about a dead country. A year and a half ago, we were a dead country. Now, we're the hottest country anywhere in the world.


We're a country doing better than any country, anywhere in the world. And, uh, it required leadership. Venezuela has a lot of bad people in there, a lot of bad people that shouldn't be leading. We're not gonna take a chance that one of those people take over for Maduro. So, uh, you can look at, and, and others.

We have fantastic people, including people in the military. So we're gonna have a group of people running it until such time as it can be put back on track, make a lot of money for the people, and give people a great way of life, and also reimbursement for people in our country that were forced out of Venezuela.


Shades of Iraq....except this will become a quagmire a lot quicker....

“Control” is not a rhetorical concept; it is a logistical one. Special operations forces and advisers cannot operate for more than days without a continuous supply of fuel, ammunition, maintenance, medical evacuation, intelligence, and rotation. That logistical tail requires secure ports, airfields, ground lines of communication, perimeter defense, and quick-reaction forces. Once you are securing bases, routes, and supply nodes, you are no longer talking about a light footprint, you are talking about brigade-level conventional forces and de facto occupation, whether the term is admitted or not.

The same logic applies to oil. Restoring Venezuelan production requires physical control of oil fields, refineries, pipelines, export terminals, and power infrastructure--all soft targets for even rudimentary guerrilla forces. Engineers, contractors, and shipping insurers will not operate without sustained security. That security cannot be episodic or outsourced; it must be continuous and territorial. In practice, protecting oil rehabilitation means military control of key regions for years, not weeks. Iraq demonstrated the cost of pretending otherwise.

 

[wing2000]

The same logic applies to oil. Restoring Venezuelan production requires physical control of oil fields, refineries, pipelines, export terminals, and power infrastructure--all soft targets for even rudimentary guerrilla forces. Engineers, contractors, and shipping insurers will not operate without sustained security. That security cannot be episodic or outsourced; it must be continuous and territorial. In practice, protecting oil rehabilitation means military control of key regions for years, not weeks. Iraq demonstrated the cost of pretending otherwise.

Yes, I think they will need a lot more troops than the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Trump hinted at a larger, "second wave".....we'll see.

 

[Palmfever]

I may not agree with Trump's methods, but I am glad Maduro is gone. Hopefully, Venezuela can take full advantage of this opportunity to elect a leader of their choice, not one of the U.S.' or some military leader's choice. May God bless them and protect them during this crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that the Venezuelan people are “rid of Nicolás Maduro’s dictatorship,” welcoming the dramatic developments after President Donald Trump confirmed a U.S. operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture.

“The Venezuelan people are today rid of Nicolás Maduro’s dictatorship and can only rejoice,” Macron wrote on X, accusing Nicolás Maduro of seizing power and trampling fundamental freedoms.

Macron said the next phase must focus on a peaceful and democratic transition that respects the will of Venezuelan voters. He expressed hope that Edmundo González Urrutia, who was elected in 2024, can move quickly to guide the country forward.

Argentina’s Ministry of National Security said new migration measures are being implemented to block entry for Venezuelan officials, military members, business figures and others linked to Maduro. The ministry said the goal is to prevent collaborators from using Argentina as a safe haven in the aftermath of Maduro’s capture.

President Javier Milei went further, celebrating what he called the fall of a “narcoterrorist dictatorship” and framing the moment as a clear moral divide between democracy and authoritarianism. Milei said Argentina is prepared to help support a peaceful transition to a free and democratic Venezuela.

Officials emphasized Argentina’s position is rooted in defending freedom, democracy and regional security, adding that there will be no tolerance for those associated with Maduro’s rule.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that he would “shed no tears” over the end of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's rule, reaffirming Britain’s long-standing opposition to his government.

“The UK has long supported a transition of power in Venezuela. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate President and we shed no tears about the end of his regime," Starmer posted to X. “I reiterated my support for international law this morning."

Starmer said he hopes for a transition to a government that “reflects the will of the Venezuelan people."

“The UK government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people."
Excerpts from:

Nicolas Maduro arrives in New York after capture, arraignment expected Monday

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military carried out a "large-scale strike" in Venezuela early Saturday morning and took Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife into custody.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Tuur]

The reason for a president to do it is to demonstrate that he has the slightest regard for the way the US constitution assigns and limits the powers of the various branches of govt.

If you're referring to the Gang of Eight, they only go back to about 1970s and consists of intel sharing. If you mean the War Powers Act of 1973, every president going forward, including Carter and maybe Ford, have chaffed to what they see as infringing on the Executive Branch.

Something "fun" to consider: The US has formally declared war 5 times but has practiced military intervention around 400 times (by some estimates). I don't think Woodrow Wilson got congressional approval to send US troops to Vladivostok (yes, that Vladivostok). I don't think there was congressional authorization for US troops sent to Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion. One source has that some or all troops sent were intended to be with US forces in the Philippine Uprising/Insurrection/Rebellion/Whatever you want to call it, and that was something else that may or may not have had congressional authorization.

For clarity, it might be better to break down one-of actions, like raids, from extended conflicts, like Vietnam. Extended conflicts need congress to authorize budgets; raids don't. The military action to take back the Miaquez would be one-of, as would the raid on Tripoli and the one in Caracas.

 

[Palmfever]

How Maduro came into power.

• President Nicolás Maduro was in the crosshairs long before he was taken into custody during a U.S. military strike Saturday morning.

A former bus driver, Maduro, 63, grew up i parents coming from leftist backgrounds. He followed his father into union activism and politics.
A leftist radical with close ties to Cuba, Maduro rose up through the ranks of elected office to be named Venezuela’s vice president by tyrannical President Hugo Chavez in 2012, the year before the strongman died of cancer.
He was then named interim president.Veezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has held onto power for 13 years and his wife Cilia Flores has been by his side in high-ranking positions, incluing attorney general.REUTERS
Shortages and decreased living standards in the South American country led to protests in 2014 that escalated into daily marches nationwide, government oppression of dissent, and a decline in Maduro’s popularity.
Maduro, a burly moustachioed leader, was often portrayed as a clown who simply repeated Chavez’s bombastic rhetoric, but he still won a narrow victory in that year’s presidential election for a six-year term.

Maduro recently said he wanted to negotiate with the U.S. but that option was no longer on the table.
The leadership of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by the U.S. Army during a strike early Saturday morning, has been contested for years.via REUTERS
Maduro has been repeatedly accused over the years of leading a drug and weapons trafficking organization called Cartel of the Suns made up of high-ranking Venezuelan officials working under him.
The allegations led Maduro to be charged in the Southern District of New York on narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of machine guns charges in March 2020.

---

There’s been a standing reward for him for years, which Trump upped to $50 million in 2025 after declaring the Cartel of the Suns a terrorist group and Maduro its leader.​

But Maduro has denied being a cartel leader, and has accused the US of using the “war on drugs” as a reason to try to depose him and obtain his country’s vast oil reserves.
Political opposition, including from now-Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who is favored to follow Maduro as president, have led to continued street protests in Caracas and other cities, which have led to violent suppression and casualties.
Maduro was criminally charged in the United States with leading a drugs and weapons cartel.

During his 13 years as president, Maduro was often flanked by his wife, Cilia Flores, who held various high ranking positions in his administration, including attorney general. She was taken into custory with her husband.
Maduro survived an assasination attempt when drones detonated explosives near him during a televised address in 2018 injuring several soldiers, but was declared victor in the country’s election that year.
But in 2019 the National Assembly of Venezuela declared he had wrongfully seized control and was not the country’s legal president. That led more than 50 countries, including the United States, to refuse to recognize him as Venezuela’s leader.
To deflect blame for his country’s woes, Maduro frequently accuses the United States of plotting to kill him and Western nations of ruining his country’s economy. He has maintained ties with China, Russia and other countries that have helped Venezuela stay above water.
Maduro again declared himself winner in the July 2024 presidential election despite evidence to the contrary. The military action Saturday followed months of U.S. attacks on boats accused of shipping drugs from the country.

The rise and fall of Venezuela’s ruthless leader Nicolás Maduro: From bus driver to dictator

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was in the crosshairs long before he was taken into custody during a U.S. military strike Saturday morning.

nypost.com

 

[durangodawood]

If you're referring to the Gang of Eight, they only go back to about 1970s and consists of intel sharing. If you mean the War Powers Act of 1973, every president going forward, including Carter and maybe Ford, have chaffed to what they see as infringing on the Executive Branch.

Something "fun" to consider: The US has formally declared war 5 times but has practiced military intervention around 400 times (by some estimates). I don't think Woodrow Wilson got congressional approval to send US troops to Vladivostok (yes, that Vladivostok). I don't think there was congressional authorization for US troops sent to Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion. One source has that some or all troops sent were intended to be with US forces in the Philippine Uprising/Insurrection/Rebellion/Whatever you want to call it, and that was something else that may or may not have had congressional authorization.

For clarity, it might be better to break down one-of actions, like raids, from extended conflicts, like Vietnam. Extended conflicts need congress to authorize budgets; raids don't. The military action to take back the Miaquez would be one-of, as would the raid on Tripoli and the one in Caracas.

Dont blame me for the contents of the US constitution! I'm just appealing to the principle that we ought to respect whats in there - or else we're just a government of fickle (and worse) men rather than laws.

Now, I was told by supporters of the current president that constitutional accountability and foreign-adventurist restraint were prime reasons to hold our nose and vote for him. And so perhaps there would be a silver lining surrounding this cloud of bad policy and low character. But when push comes to shove...... the constitution gets the shove, and off we go on another regime change / nation build, and all those Trump fans just nod their heads like theyre on autopilot.

Truth is I never really believed them in the first place. For good reason - we all now know. They were going wherever he leads.

 

[Larniavc]

Mr. President, what's the group you mentioned that would run Venezuela?

Well, it's largely going to be for a period of time, uh, the people that are standing right behind me. We're gonna be running it. We're gonna be bringing it back. It's a, it's a dead, you know, I talk about a dead country. A year and a half ago, we were a dead country. Now, we're the hottest country anywhere in the world.


We're a country doing better than any country, anywhere in the world. And, uh, it required leadership. Venezuela has a lot of bad people in there, a lot of bad people that shouldn't be leading. We're not gonna take a chance that one of those people take over for Maduro. So, uh, you can look at, and, and others.

We have fantastic people, including people in the military. So we're gonna have a group of people running it until such time as it can be put back on track, make a lot of money for the people, and give people a great way of life, and also reimbursement for people in our country that were forced out of Venezuela.


Shades of Iraq....except this will become a quagmire a lot quicker....

Nations like Russia and America never learn that going into other countries is a recipe for disaster.

Countries! Think once! Think twice! Think; ‘don’t go invading other countries!’

 

[rjs330]

Notification to certain committees or committee members in congress has occurred in similar situations without problem. It would be the normal thing to do.

The reason for a president to do it is to demonstrate that he has the slightest regard for the way the US constitution assigns and limits the powers of the various branches of govt.

Yeah I wouldn’t trust them.not to leak it. Notify them maybe right after he's nabbed, but not before. There is too much leaking going on.

 

[durangodawood]

Yeah I wouldn’t trust them.not to leak it. Notify them maybe right after he's nabbed, but not before. There is too much leaking going on.

Members in the relevant natl security committees know whats at stake. They dont do that re actual operations.

If anyone freely blabs about stuff that reveals intel and capabilities, making it harder for our armed forces to operate safely - its Trump himself.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

For decades, presidents have briefed the "group of eight" before carrying out military operations against other countries. And there were no leaks.

We now have an administration that doesn’t trust We the People. This nice idea of self governance in America is dead. The president has positioned himself above Congress, above the courts, above the constitution and above even the citizens that elected him into office.

 

[rjs330]

For decades, presidents have briefed the "group of eight" before carrying out military operations against other countries. And there were no leaks.

Times have changed. Too much leakage going on.