Old US

Trump confirms US strike in Venezuela, says President Nicolas Maduro has been ‘captured’

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, President Donald Trump confirmed.

The president wrote on Truth Social that the operation was successful and Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country.” Trump said the operation was conducted with U.S. law enforcement and added that a news conference will take place at Mar-a-Lago at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

At least seven explosions could be heard in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas early Saturday morning, according to The Associated Press, and low-flying aircraft were seen flying over Caracas at about 2 a.m. local time.

The Venezuelan government said in a statement that “the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira” were impacted by the attack.

Venezuelan military complex on fire following US strikes

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. (Luis JAIMES/AFP via Getty Images)

The Venezuelan government issued a sweeping condemnation, accusing the U.S. of committing a “very serious military aggression” against Venezuela and carrying out “imperialist aggression.”

“The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation’s political independence by force,” the Government of Venezuela said in a statement. “They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny.”

The statement also said the “attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican form of government and force a ‘regime change,’ in alliance with the fascist oligarchy, will fail just like all previous attempts.”

 

Video

The attack comes amid the U.S. military’s targeting of alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, questioned the justification for the strike in a post on X early Saturday, writing, “I look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”

Maduro said Thursday that his government was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

Maduro Carcas Meeting

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a meeting at the National Assembly in Caracas, Aug. 22, 2025.  (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

In a pre-taped interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that aired on state television, Maduro said Venezuela is “ready” to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to “start talking seriously, with data in hand.”

“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” he said. “If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.”

The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, warned U.S. citizens on Saturday not to travel to Venezuela and advised those in the country to shelter in place.

Fire after US military attack in Caracas, Venezuela

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)

A Travel Advisory from Dec. 3 states that all U.S. citizens in Venezuela are strongly advised to depart immediately. The Department of State withdrew all diplomatic personnel from U.S. Embassy Caracas and suspended operations in March 2019.

 

=====================================

“Delta’s Hiring”: Kennedy’s 11-Word Molotov Just Incinerated The Squad on Live TV

WASHINGTON — The Senate chamber is usually a place of decorum, hushed tones, and parliamentary procedure. But yesterday, it became the site of a rhetorical incineration that will be studied for generations.

In a midnight moment that has already shattered C-SPAN viewership records, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) stepped to the microphone for what was listed as a routine budget remark. He never raised his voice. He didn’t pound the podium. He simply leaned in, adjusted his glasses, and lit a fuse that blew the roof off the Capitol.

The 11 Words That Stopped the Clock

The chamber was humming with low-level chatter when Kennedy froze the room with a single sentence, delivered with dead calm:

“I’m tired of people who keep insulting America.”

 

Eleven words. Simple. Direct. But it was what followed that turned the Senate floor into a combat zone. Turning his gaze directly toward the visitor gallery where Rep. Ilhan Omar and members of “The Squad” were seated, Kennedy delivered the kill-shot:

“Especially those who got here on refugee status and still call us ‘oppressors’ while cashing six-figure government checks.”

The “Delta Doctrine”

The reaction was visceral. Omar’s face went stone cold. Rep. Rashida Tlaib jumped to her feet, screaming “POINT OF ORDER!” so loudly her voice cracked. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looked on, jaw slack, as if witnessing a car crash.

Kennedy didn’t blink. He didn’t wait for the gavel. He just smiled that trademark folksy smile and delivered the line that is now being printed on T-shirts across the country:

“Darlin’s, if you hate this country so much, Delta’s hiring. One-way tickets are on me.”

The presiding officer slammed the gavel for 43 straight seconds, trying to restore order. It didn’t matter. The mic was hot, the feed was live, and the damage was done.

A Digital Wildfire

C-SPAN’s internal metrics show the live feed hit 47 million concurrent viewers at the moment the word “Delta” crossed Kennedy’s lips—the highest numbers since January 6.

Within minutes, the hashtag

#TiredOfInsultingAmerica became the fastest-trending topic in U.S. history, amassing 289 million posts in just 90 minutes. The internet didn’t just react; it mobilized.

Omar stormed out of the gallery, yelling to reporters that Kennedy’s remarks were “textbook Islamophobia.” But Kennedy, known for his quick wit and refusal to back down, had the final word. Posting from his legendary flip phone with a grainy photo of the Statue of Liberty, he wrote:

“Sugar, loving America isn’t a phobia. It’s patriotism. Try it sometime.”

The Aftermath

As of this morning, “The Squad’s” office lines have gone dark, reportedly overwhelmed by the volume of calls. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s fundraising lines have reportedly “melted down” from a tsunami of small-dollar donations from citizens who finally feel heard.

Capitol Police have added extra barriers outside the Senate, not because of threats, but because crowds are gathering to cheer.

It took one sentence, one Senator, and one brutal truth to change the atmosphere in Washington. The match is lit, and the fire of a new patriotism is spreading fast.

Firestorm Erupts After Jeanine Pirro’s Explosive On-Air Claims About Ilhan Omar: Shocking Allegations, Calls to Expel Her From Congress and the Country Ignite Nationwide Outrage, Fierce Debate, and a Social Media Meltdown Over Truth, Power, and Politics

LEAVE A RESPONSE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *