United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody following US airstrikes on targets inside Venezuela.
Trump made the assertion in a post on his Truth Social account, where he said the United States had “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader.”
He alleged that Maduro and Flores were captured during the operation and flown out of the country.
According to Trump, the mission was conducted alongside U.S. law enforcement agencies, with more details to be provided at a news conference scheduled later at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
No official White House statement was immediately released beyond Trump’s social media post. However, the Pentagon confirmed that US forces had conducted air operations against what it described as strategic sites associated with Venezuela’s leadership.
Venezuelan authorities acknowledged that airstrikes struck a government facility near Caracas in the early hours of Saturday but challenged aspects of the US narrative.
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In a short broadcast, state media reported casualties and damage to infrastructure, adding that officials were still seeking clarity on the condition and whereabouts of senior government figures.
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The strikes came after months of increased US military activity in the Caribbean and northern parts of South America.
Washington has recently intensified naval patrols and aerial surveillance in the region, saying the measures were aimed at disrupting drug trafficking routes allegedly connected to Venezuelan networks.
US Southern Command has announced several seizures of vessels suspected of carrying narcotics, while American officials have accused elements within the Venezuelan state of shielding organised criminal groups.
At the same time, the United States has expanded sanctions on Venezuelan military officials and shipping entities and increased joint maritime operations with regional partners.
US officials had repeatedly warned that tougher measures would be taken if Caracas continued to present what Washington described as a security risk.
