Live updates: Trump confirms U.S. strikes on Venezuela, says Maduro was ‘captured’

President Donald Trump declined to say whether he sought congressional approval before launching strikes on Venezuela and seizing the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, The New York Times reported.

“We’ll discuss that,” Trump told the newspaper during a 50-second phone interview shortly after he announced the operation. “We’re going to have a news conference.”

Trump also praised the forces that took part, saying a lot of “good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people” had been involved.

The U.S. strikes on Venezuela are prohibited under international law, but a possible criminal trial for Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. could still go ahead, according to one analyst.

Fire is seen at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas today. STR / AFP via Getty Images

“International law prohibits the use of force as a means of national policy,” said Professor Marc Weller, Programme Director of the International Law program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.

Force is “only available in response to an armed attack or possibly to rescue a population under imminent threat of extermination,” he added. “Clearly, none of these requirements are fulfilled by the armed operation against Venezuela.”

The U.S. interest in repressing the drug trade or claims that the Maduro government was in essence a criminal enterprise “offers no legal justification,” according to Weller.

However, he said a trial for Maduro could go ahead, citing precedent from the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and the capture of its President Manuel Noriega, who was brought to Miami for trial over alleged drugs offences.

“U.S. courts follow the so-called Kerr-Frisbie doctrine,” Weller said. “According to that controversial doctrine, it does not matter how a suspect is brought before a U.S. Court. A trial can go ahead, even if it results from an unlawful armed intervention or abduction, provided the suspect has not been severely tortured in the process.”

The extent of the U.S. military’s role in today’s strikes on Venezuela and the capture of its leader Nicolás Maduro remains unclear, as does the authority under which those involved were operating.

While it appears from what we have seen so far that U.S. law enforcement led the operation, more information is needed to determine what other U.S. agencies may have been involved.

The U.S. military appears to have helped determine where American law enforcement needed to target to capture Maduro and his wife, but the extent of its role remains unknown, as does the authority under which they were operating.

A burned out vehicle at La Carlota air base in Caracas this morning. Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images

The U.S.’s legal justification for these strikes also remains unclear, as well as the administration’s longer-term goal beyond the removal of Maduro from office.

Video verified by NBC News does appear to show transport helicopters present.

We can also see smaller helicopters, and while we can’t yet identify what kind of aircraft these are, we do know that a U.S. Air Force unit, known as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, has assets in the area.

We have not seen any indication that there was any immediate response to the strikes by Venezuela.

A group of Venezuelans gathered to celebrate following the U.S. strikes on the nation and after President Trump said President Nicolás Maduro had been captured.

Footage captured by Noticias Telemundo showed dozens of people gathered by a gas station near Caracas waving flags and dancing to music.

The group can be heard cheering, singing and jumping, many of them wearing flags as capes. One lady, standing up through the sunroof of a large car, was seen waving a massive flag above the vehicle.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long a hawk on Venezuela’s government, this morning reposted a statement from July about President Nicolás Maduro.

In the original post, Rubio noted that in 2020 Maduro was charged by U.S. prosecutors with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges.

He also restated claims that Maduro is the head of the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. alleges operates within the Venezuelan armed forces.

Rubio has not commented publicly on the strikes.

Cars wait to fill up at a gas station in Valencia, Venezuela, this morning, following the U.S. overnight strikes and the capture of President Maduro and his wife.

Juan Carlos Hernandez / Reuters

It is unclear what the Trump administration’s plan is regarding the future of Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s whereabouts are not known and it is unclear if the U.S. has a strategy beyond removing him from power.

Trump has historically adopted a ‘long-arm U.S. force’ approach, prioritizing air and naval power and avoiding putting U.S. boots on the ground in conflict zones. We will have to wait and see if that approach continues with regard to Venezuela.

In the coming days, we will also be closely watching how Venezuela’s allies, particularly China and Russia, choose to respond.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely not be happy with this latest escalation and it may affect his dealings with the U.S. government going forward.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged calm and called on his countrymen to trust in the country’s leadership following the apparent capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking on national television, Cabello said Venezuelans should not fall into “despair” and avoid making it easier “for the enemy invader, the enemy terrorist that cowardly attacked us.”

Cabello also echoed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, saying the U.S. attack claimed the lives of civilians.

“Beyond one of us or any of us, here is one country that’s organized, one country that knows what it needs to do,” Cabello said.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the U.S., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah said today after a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubio “informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges,” he posted on X.

Lee added that Rubio had told him he anticipates “no further action in Venezuela” now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.

The Senator had earlier publicly questioned the U.S. action in Venezuela, asking what, “if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war.”

But he appeared to distance himself from the statement following the call with Rubio, saying that the “kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”

“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” he added.

Venezuela’s defense minister today vowed a “wall of resistance” against what he characterized as U.S. imperialism.

In a defiant address, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López called the bombing of Caracas and the surrounding areas illegal.

“Far from a supposed fight against narcoterrorism, this deplorable action seeks to definitively force a regime change and subject us to the spurious designs of North American imperialism,” Padrino López said.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López this morning. @padrinovladimir / Instagram

The strikes struck urban areas with civilians, and a tally of possible injuries and deaths was ongoing, he said.

“They have attacked us, but they will not make us bend. United, soldier and civilian, we will form an indestructible wall of resistance,” the defense minister said.

“We who extend the hand in brotherhood today close the fist in defense of what is ours,” Padrino López said.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelled the U.S. strikes on Venezuela a “deeply concerning” act of aggression.

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded,” it said in a statement.

Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning. Cristian Hernandez / AP

The Foreign Ministry said Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own future and joined calls for an immediate meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

“Latin America must remain a zone of peace,” it said.

Venezuela’s vice president has demanded that the U.S. show proof that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores are alive.

Speaking via phone call on state television station Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Delcy Rodríguez said the whereabouts of Maduro and the first lady are unknown. Her remarks followed Trump’s announcement on social media that the United States captured Maduro and flew him out of Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in Caracas last year. Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images

“In the face of this brutal situation and in the face of this brutal attack, we do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. We demand from the government of President Donald Trump immediate proof of life of President Maduro and of the first lady,” Rodríguez said.

Rodríguez condemned the “savage” attack on Venezuela and said officials, soldiers and civilians had been killed. An official tally of casualties has not been released.

Some Republicans have praised President Trump for the strikes on Venezuela this morning.

“Thank you President Trump for your leadership & resolve and to our brave service members who have conducted a stellar military operation,” Rep. Carlos Giminez, R-Fla., posted on X. “Our community is forever grateful & our country is safer than ever!”

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., also praised Trump for his “decisive leadership.”

“Our country has faced an unprecedented national security threat from the illegitimate Maduro regime,” he said.

The U.S. charged Nicolás Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges in his absence in 2020, during the last Trump administration.

“For more than 20 years,” Maduro and a number of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, “causing tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities,” then-Attorney General William Barr said at the time.

“As alleged, the defendants betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions to line their pockets with drug money,” he added.

Maduro, whose whereabouts are currently unknown after Trump said he was “captured” by U.S. forces, was Venezuela’s vice president for the economy at the time of the charges.

Large smoke clouds rise following explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in Caracas this morning.

AFP – Getty Images

A Trump ally is among U.S. Senators who have criticized the U.S. action in Venezuela this morning.

“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,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz, said there was “no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

“This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year,” he said.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii also echoed Gallego’s comments on X, saying: “We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now.”

The U.S. embassy in Venezuela has warned any U.S. citizens there to “shelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so.”

The advisory also recommends establishing “multiple methods of communication with friends and family outside of Venezuela.”

A woman follows news of explosions in Caracas this morning.  Boris Vergara / Anadolu via Getty Images

It reminded citizens of a previous advisory issued in December to avoid travel to the South American country. The past State Department guidance cited “the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.”

In Caracas, there’s a strong smell of gunpowder and smoke at this hour. We haven’t heard any explosions for a while. However, there’s a palpable atmosphere of tension amidst what’s happening with these detonations.

The Caracas skyline following a series of explosions this morning.  Federico Parra / AFP – Getty Images

Trump in October declined to answer whether the CIA had the authority to remove Maduro, but said the country was “feeling heat.”

Asked whether the CIA had authority to “take out” the president of Venezuela, Trump in October said: “Oh, I don’t want to answer a question like that. That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”

“I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” he added. “But I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat, too.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in August.  Juan Barreto / AFP – Getty Images file

This morning, in the wake of Trump’s confirmation that the U.S. was behind the strikes, the White House’s rapid response X account posted a video with remarks from Trump on Oct. 17, during which the president said Maduro “doesn’t want to f— around with the United States.”

President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been “captured and flown out of the country.”

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Venezuela has not confirmed Maduro’s whereabouts.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump added. “There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned Saturday’s strikes in Venezuela, calling on all governments and international organizations to do the same.

“The American military attack on Venezuela is a clear violation of the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law,” it said in a statement published by Iran’s semi-official news agency, Tasmin, on Telegram.

The United States has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.

Venezuelan forces patrol the streets in Caracas this morning. Miguel Gutierrez / EPA via Shutterstock

Iran urged the international community to take “immediate action” to stop the “illegal” escalation against Venezuela, arguing it is a blatant violation of Venezuela’s national “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Iran has been close to Venezuela for years, in part due to their shared enmity of the U.S.

The President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel has condemned the strikes on Venezuela, labelling them an act of “state terrorism.”

“Cuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on Venezuela,” he said in a post on X.

Cuba and Venezuela are strong allies based on ideology, politics and economics. Cuba has sent thousands of doctors, military advisors and other professionals to Venezuela in exchange for oil.

Flames rise after a series of explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in capital Caracas this morning.

Luis Jaimes / AFP – Getty Images

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has declared a state of external emergency across the entire nation, according to Venezuelan state TV channel TeleSUR, following what his government has described as “serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.”

The decree allows Maduro to restrict certain constitutional rights, to mobilize armed forces, and to take extraordinary measures for a period of time.

Pedestrians near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning. Cristian Hernandez / AP

The Mexican embassy in Venezuela urged calm this morning amid multiple explosions in the South American country.

In a post on X, the embassy instructed Mexican citizens to follow orders from local officials and have documents, water and medicine handy. It also provided an emergency phone number for Mexican citizens to contact the embassy.

The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited flights over Venezuela due to a “potentially hazardous situation.”

The FAA issued a NOTAM, or “Notice to Air Missions” for the Maiquetia Flight Information Region, which includes Venezuela.

The NOTAM cites “ongoing military activity” and says it applies to all U.S. carriers. The FAA said it was an emergency order.

All commercial flights in Venezuela are canceled, Noticias Telemundo reported.

Today’s strikes could be the latest escalation in a larger pressure campaign by the U.S. to persuade Maduro to leave Venezuela, although the Trump administration has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.

Trump last month said it would be smart for Maduro to step down and said he would not rule out war with the South American country.

Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation.

If Maduro remains defiant in the face of these latest strikes, and his inner circle remains loyal to him, it’s possible we’ll see further escalation.

Members of the presidential guard and soldiers guard the area around Miraflores, the presidential palace, after a series of explosions were heard in Caracas today.

Cristian Hernandez / AP

Cristian Hernandez / AP

Fort Tiuna, one of the sites where Noticias Telemundo reports there was an explosion, is a major Venezuelan military complex in the Caracas metropolitan zone. The Ministry of Defense, the military’s general command, and the official residence of La Viñeta — where the Venezuelan vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, lives — are all located there.

The brother of a senior NBC News producer was “woken up by the sound of bombs” in Caracas where he lives, the producer said during live coverage of the unfolding situation in Venezuela.

The family’s home is in the same neighborhood as a military base in Caracas, NBC News senior producer Geraldine Cols Azocar, who is Venezuelan, said in a phone interview early Tuesday.

Helicopters flew overhead, and “immediately within minutes of the first couple of bombs falling they lost electricity,” she said.

Family members were “hunkering down,” Cols Azocar said.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had said he is open to negotiating with Washington to combat drug trafficking in the first sign that sustained U.S. pressure is taking its toll on the embattled South American leader.

“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,” Maduro said in a taped interview aired Thursday on state TV channel teleSUR.

But in his wide-ranging conversation with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, he declined to comment on an alleged ground attack on a docking facility along Venezuela’s shoreline last month, which some media reports said was conducted by the CIA.

Read the full story.

A statement from the Venezuelan government said it “rejects, condemns and denounces” what it described as “serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.”

The U.S. government has not claimed responsibility for the explosion.

“This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, especially Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of states, and the prohibition of the use of force. Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and places the lives of millions of people at grave risk,” the statement read.

Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Matias Delacroix / AP

We hear minor explosions and planes flying above right now. Venezuelans are trying to reach family members abroad to get a better understanding of what is happening in their country.

There is a mountain between my residence and the Fort Tiuna base, one of the sites where an explosion occurred. The flashes of light from the Fort Tiuna military base are visible above the mountain; that is, even though there’s a mountain separating me from the base, I can see the flashes of the explosions — so we can infer they are very intense.

TeleSUR, a Venezuelan state TV channel, on a post on X, shared a statement from the Venezuelan government.

“Venezuela denounces the United States’ aggression against Venezuelan territory and population in the civil and military locations in the city of Caracas, the states Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira,” the official communication from the government said.

No American government agencies have confirmed any involvement or claimed responsibility for the explosions.

Helicopters were seen flying in the sky over Caracas early Saturday while flashes were seen on the ground, according to video from the Reuters news agency.

Nine helicopters were seen in the video. There were flashes and smoke that appeared to be from explosions on the ground.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X that “Caracas is being bombed right now.”

Petro said the purported bombing was happening with missiles, and called on the Organization of American States and the United Nations to meet immediately.

At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 a.m. local time Saturday in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.

This comes as the U.S. military has been targeting, in recent days, alleged drug-smuggling boats.

On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking.

The South American country’s President Nicolás Maduro also said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday that the U.S. wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.

The Trump administration has ramped up the pressure on Venezuela and its President Nicolás Maduro, including military strikes on what the U.S. says have been drug-smuggling vessels.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. had “knocked out” a facility tied to Venezuela.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy took control of a tanker known as the Skipper in December and the Trump administration said they intend to seize it. The Trump administration alleged the tanker was being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

There was a loud bang around 2 a.m. local time that caused windows to rattle and the unmistakable sounds of aircraft.

The reports of explosions come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Venezuela, but the cause of the sounds is not clear.

Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Matias Delacroix / AP