Reporter: Does the U.S. running the country mean that U.S. troops will be on the ground?

Trump: They always say ‘boots on the ground.’

We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to have them. We had boots on the ground last night—at a very high level. We’re not afraid of it, and we don’t mind saying it.

We’re not doing this in vain. This was a very dangerous operation. This was an attack that could have gone very, very badly.

Trump:

The people standing right behind me are going to be running Venezuela.

We’re going to bring it back. Venezuela is a dead country.

Trump on the Vice President of Venezuela:

She's essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.

Trump:

It could have happened (killing Maduro).

He was trying to get to a safe room.

Trump:

The President of Colombia "does have to watch his ass."

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

This was so precise that it involved more than 150 aircraft launched across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination, all coming together at the right time and place to layer effects for a single purpose: to insert an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise.

Failure of any one component of this well-oiled machine would have endangered the entire mission, and failure is never an option for America’s joint force.

Those in the air over Caracas last night were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters.

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

At 10:46 p.m. Eastern time, the president ordered the United States military to move forward. He told us, ‘Good luck and Godspeed,’ and those words were transmitted across the entire joint force.

Over the course of the night, aircraft launched from 20 different bases on land and at sea across the Western Hemisphere.

In total, more than 150 aircraft—including bombers, fighters, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, and rotary-wing aircraft—were in the air last night.

Trump:

Cuba is a failing nation and we want to help the people.

I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll talk about.

Trump:

Machado doesn’t have the respect within the country.

Trump:

I told Maduro, “You’ve got to surrender.”

Now he wishes he did.

Trump:

I’m not thrilled with Putin.

He’s killing too many people.

Trump on Russia-Ukraine War:

I inherited that war; that was Biden, Zelensky, and Putin.

I came into the situation and it is a mess.

Trump on Russia-Ukraine War:

If we had our people involved there, that war would not have gone on for very long.

Trump on Russia-Ukraine War:

That war has become a bloodbath.

And we want it to get stopped.

Trump:

There is nobody to take over in Venezuela.

Vice President of Venezuela said: “We will do whatever you need.”

She does not have a choice.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene questions Trump's capture of Maduro:

Mexican cartels are primarily and overwhelmingly responsible for killing Americans with deadly drugs. If U.S. military action and regime change in Venezuela were really about saving American lives, why hasn’t the Trump administration taken action against Mexican cartels?

And if prosecuting narco terrorists is truly a priority, why did President Trump pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted and sentenced to 45 years for trafficking massive amounts of cocaine into the U.S.—the same drug Venezuela primarily traffics?

The next obvious observation is that removing Maduro looks like a move to secure control over Venezuelan oil supplies, likely tied to future regime-change conflicts, including Iran.

Why is it acceptable for the U.S. to invade, bomb, and arrest a foreign leader, while Russia is condemned for Ukraine and China for Taiwan? Is it only acceptable when we do it?

Regime change, endless foreign wars, and U.S. tax dollars flowing overseas while Americans struggle with rising living costs, housing, healthcare, and government waste have enraged many—especially younger generations. Both parties continue funding the Washington military machine.

This is what many in MAGA thought they voted to end.
Boy were we wrong.

As boomers lose political dominance, the future will favor candidates focused on American economic populism and prosperity for Americans only—but right now, neither party offers that solution.

Marco Rubio:

Cuba is a disaster. It is run by incompetent, senile men. It has no economy. It is in total collapse.

Marco Rubio:

If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I would be concerned — at least a little bit.

Reporter: Is it possible that the U.S. ends up administering Venezuela for years?

Trump: Well, you know, it won’t cost us anything, because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial.

Reporter: The U.S. has a mixed track record of ousting dictators without a plan.

Trump: Not with me. With me, we have had a perfect track record of winning. We win.

Trump:

We will take a lot of money out so we can take care of Venezuela.