During a White House press conference on December 3, 2025, President Donald Trump reiterated his support for striking alleged Venezuelan drug boats, commenting that the strikes would “start very soon on land.” In the middle of the night, the U.S. did exactly that, launching military strikes in Caracas, Venezuela.
Early Saturday morning, social media sites were flooded with footage from U.S. military strikes in the country. According to U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News, President Trump gave the ok to strike Venezuela.
According to the Venezuelan government, the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira have all been attacked, forcing President Nicolás Maduro to declare a national emergency and to mobilize defense forces.
President Trump posted on Truth Social, confirming the strike and announcing that he will be speaking at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago at 11:00 A.M. ET.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the County,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The attack and capture of Maduro come after months of increased tension, during which President Trump ordered attacks on alleged cartel drug boats. The orders have split the political world.
Most recently, Maduro stated that Venezuela was "ready" to discuss an agreement with the U.S., saying, "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."
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded to the military strike by denouncing it as a "criminal attack by the U.S. on Venezuela." He further called it "state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America."
The story is developing.
