Why Did Trump Attack Venezuela? Quick Breakdown of What's Going On

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that US special forces successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The military operation for this mission was called 'Operation Absolute Resolve' by the White House, and it involved airstrikes over the northern region of Venezuela, including the capital, Caracas, following a military operation dubbed 'Operation Absolute Resolve' that involved airstrikes across Caracas and northern Venezuela. The dramatic capture came two months after Trump issued Maduro an ultimatum to relinquish power in exchange for safe passage, which the Venezuelan leader refused.

Explosions were reported across the capital, and hours later, Trump revealed through his Truth Social account that Maduro and his wife were in custody and en route to New York to face narco-terrorism charges. The President included a photo of the now ex-president of Venezuela in a gray tracksuit and handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima. Trump declared that the US will 'run Venezuela indefinitely' until a proper transition government can be established.

Trump's 'Maximum Pressure' Campaign

The Trump administration has pursued a 'maximum pressure' campaign since returning to office. The White House does not consider Maduro a legitimate political leader and instead views him as the leader of the narco-terrorist group called the 'Cartel of the Suns', which is allegedly trafficking cocaine into the United States.

Maduro's presidential win in 2018 was widely condemned by the US and Venezuelan opposition, as well as Western nations, who labelled his election a sham. He was handpicked as successor by the late Hugo Chávez.

Previously, Trump also placed a £38.5 million ($50 million) bounty on Maduro's head, escalated from £11.5 million ($15 million) in 2020.

'On August 7, 2025, the Department announced the further increase in the reward offer to up to $50 million after the Department of Treasury sanctioned Cartel of the Suns as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on July 25, 2025,' part of the announcement for increased rewards reads. 'As leader of Cartel of the Suns, Maduro is the first target in the history of the Narcotics Rewards Program with a reward offer exceeding $25 million.'

The Ultimatum Maduro Refused

Before his capture, Trump also issued an ultimatum for Maduro to give up his power in exchange for safe passage. But the dictator continuously refused, and this was said to be the final trigger for the attack. Lastly, the operation was designed to cut off Maduro's leadership before he and his family could flee to allied nations like Cuba or Russia.

Conflicting Claims Over Delcy Rodríguez

Trump claimed during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago that the US will 'run Venezuela indefinitely'. With Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth by his side, he said the two officials would help oversee Venezuela until a proper transition is established.

Trump said Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez expressed willingness to cooperate, allegedly telling Rubio: 'We'll do whatever you need.' The President then added, 'I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn't have a choice.'

However, Rodríguez publicly condemned the attack hours later, demanding 'proof of life' for Maduro and Flores and calling the operation 'complete brutal aggression against our people', according to Axios. Her statement contradicted Trump's claims of cooperation.