ClosePresident Donald Trump warned Venezuela’s de facto leader and vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, could end up with a fate worse than Nicolas Maduro “if she doesn’t do what’s right.”
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized from their home during the raid by U.S. forces in the early hours of Saturday and transported to New York after being indicted on “narco-terrorism” charges.
Trump made the threat against Maduro’s vice president Sunday during an interview with The Atlanticshortly after arriving at his West Palm Beach golf club in Florida.
According to the outlet, Trump said of Rodriguez, “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she’ll pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”
During a Saturday press conference, Trump implied that Rodriguez was on board with the administration’s plan to run the country and would work alongside the U.S.
But in a public address shortly afterward, Rodriguez denied the claims and declared that Maduro is the only president.
Maduro is being held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his first court appearance in Manhattan, scheduled for Monday at noon ET/ 5 p.m. GMT, the District Court for the Southern District of New York said.
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Pinned
Recap: How US strikes and capture of Venezuelan president unfolded
- The world was stunned when the U.S. launched strikes on Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday (January 3), which rocked the capital of Caracas, while U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their home in a “meticulously planned” operation that was months in the making.
- Maduro and his wife were forced from their home and taken to New York via a U.S. Navy vessel, where they were indicted on several offenses, including narco-terrorism.
- President Donald Trump and top administration officials held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago Saturday morning, where Trump announced the U.S. would be “running” Venezuela in the meantime.
- Trump did not offer specifics about who would be running the country, but said his officials would be part of a team working with the Venezuelans in the interim.
- The president mentioned Venezuela’s oil industry several times during the press conference, leading to accusations from critics that the military action was about oil, and not drugs, as the administration has claimed.
- Maduro and his wife arrived on U.S. soil late afternoon Saturday and were in New York City by the evening.
- Maduro is currently being held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his first appearance in court, scheduled for Monday.
- Trump issued a threat to Maduro’s vice president that she could face a fate worse than the ousted Venezuelan leader “if she does not do what’s right.”
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on the Sunday morning shows, where he reinforced the Trump administration’s message that the capture of Maduro “had to be done.”
- Rubio refused to give details about who was running the country right now and said people were “fixating” on it.
Read moreRhian Lubin4 January 2026 15:49
Maduro’s case will revive a legal debate over immunity for foreign leaders tested in Noriega trial
When deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro makes his first appearance in a New York courtroom Monday to face U.S. drug charges, he will likely follow the path taken by another Latin American strongman toppled by U.S. forces: Panama's Manuel Noriega.
Maduro was captured Saturday, 36 years to the day after Noriega was removed by American forces. And as was the case with the Panamanian leader, lawyers for Maduro are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of foreign state, which is a bedrock principle of international and U.S. law.
That argument is unlikely to succeed and was largely settled as a matter of law in Noriega's trial, legal experts said. Trump's ordering of the operation in Venezuela raises its own constitutional concerns because it was not authorized by Congress, now that Maduro is in the United States.
But American courts are to allow Maduro's prosecution to proceed because, like Noriega in Panama, the U.S. government does not recognize him as Venezuela's legitimate leader.
Joshua Goodman & Eric Tucker4 January 2026 23:10
In pictures: Residential buildings in ruin following US strikes in Venezuela
In the coastal state of La Guaira, families with houses damaged in blasts during the U.S. operation that captured Maduro and his wife were cleaning up debris.
Rhian Lubin, AP4 January 2026 22:40
Trump's comments and activity in Venezuela sparks alarm in Greenland
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday urged President Donald Trump to cease threats over Greenland, after he reiterated his desire to acquire it in The Atlantic.
He spoke a day after the U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Trump said the U.S. would run the Latin American country.
“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the U.S. needing to take over Greenland. The U.S. has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish Kingdom,” Frederiksen said in a statement on Sunday.
Trump told the magazine: “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”
Trump says US ‘needs’ Greenland as Denmark PM urges president to stop threats
‘It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the U.S. needing to take over Greenland’Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 22:10
Satellite images show damage US forces did to Venezuela's Fort Tiuna
Satellite imagery shows the damage U.S. forces did to Venezuela’s Fort Tiuna when they captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a raid during the early hours of Saturday.
The compound is the country’s largest military base and houses defense equipment. It consists of a network of underground tunnels and bunkers.
Maduro’s home was within the confines of Fort Tiuna, which U.S. intelligence agencies were monitoring for months.
Satellite images taken in December 2025 show the sprawling military site in contrast with the latest pictures, where strikes have reduced several buildings to rubble.
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 21:40
Judge presiding over Maduro hearing has had the case in his court for years
Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has had the case of Nicolas Maduro in his court for years after the initial indictment against the ousted Venezuelan leader and his inner circle first dropped in 2020.
The 92-year-old judge is also presiding over President Donald Trump’s attempt to move his hush money case from New York criminal court into federal court.
Maduro is expected to appear Monday at noon ET.
Alex Woodward, Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 21:10
Recap: How US strikes and capture of Venezuelan president unfolded
- The world was stunned when the U.S. launched strikes on Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday (January 3), which rocked the capital of Caracas, while U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their home in a “meticulously planned” operation that was months in the making.
- Maduro and his wife were forced from their home and taken to New York via a U.S. Navy vessel, where they were indicted on several offenses, including narco-terrorism.
- President Donald Trump and top administration officials held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago Saturday morning, where Trump announced the U.S. would be “running” Venezuela in the meantime.
- Trump did not offer specifics about who would be running the country, but said his officials would be part of a team working with the Venezuelans in the interim.
- The president mentioned Venezuela’s oil industry several times during the press conference, leading to accusations from critics that the military action was about oil, and not drugs, as the administration has claimed.
- Maduro and his wife arrived on U.S. soil late afternoon Saturday and were in New York City by the evening.
- Maduro is currently being held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his first appearance in court, scheduled for Monday.
- Trump issued a threat to Maduro’s vice president that she could face a fate worse than the ousted Venezuelan leader “if she does not do what’s right.”
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on the Sunday morning shows, where he reinforced the Trump administration’s message that the capture of Maduro “had to be done.”
- Rubio refused to give details about who was running the country right now and said people were “fixating” on it.
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 20:54
NEW: Musk pictured dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Elon Musk shared a photo dining with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night.
“Had a lovely dinner last night with @POTUS and @FLOTUS,” Musk posted on X. “2026 is going to be amazing!”
His post followed an announcement from Starlink, his satellite internet company, that it would provide free broadband to the people of Venezuela for the next month following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
“In support of the people of Venezuela,” Musk said, amplifying his company’s post.
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 20:44
Marjorie Taylor Greene lashes out at Trump over Venezuela
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose last day in Congress is January 5, has lashed out at the Trump administration’s military operation in Venezuela.
Greene appeared on NBC News’ Meet the Press and called for domestic policies that instead “prioritize jobs and affordable housing for Americans.”
The MAGA firebrand also cited policies that prioritize healthcare and tackle the rising cost of health insurance.
Watch the clip below for some of her remarks:
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 20:20
Venezuela strikes mapped: Where did US hit during operation to capture Maduro?
U.S. forces launched an extraordinary attack on Venezuela on Saturday, capturing its president in a dramatic overnight operation that sent shockwaves around the world.
At least seven explosions were reported and low-flying aircraft were spotted in the capital, Caracas, and rising smoke was seen in several regions at approximately 2am during the “large-scale” attack on Saturday.
The U.S. airstrikes hit La Guaira Port and the Higuerote Airport in Miranda, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Geolocated footage posted on 3 January also showcases that the US hit telecommunications towers southeast of Caracas.
The strikes follow multiple attacks on Venezuelan boats that the US claim are smuggling narcotics for drug cartels, and a build up of a fleet of warships near Venezuela, including the largest U.S. aircraft carrier.
Shaheena Uddin maps where the strikes hit.
Venezuela strikes mapped: Where did US hit during operation to capture Maduro?
The airstrikes struck La Guaira Port and the Higuerote Airport in Miranda, according to the Institute for the Study of WarShaheena Uddin4 January 2026 19:55NewerOlder