The U.S. forces that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro on Saturday suffered a few injuries and no deaths, President Donald Trump told Fox News.
"He was in a house that was more like a fortress than a house," Trump said in the televised interview.
"It had steel doors, it had what they call a safety space where it's, you know, it's solid steel all around. He didn't get that space closed. He was trying to get into it, but he got bum-rushed so fast that he didn't get into there.
"We were prepared. We had, you know, massive blow torches and everything else that you need to get through that steel, but we didn't need it. He didn't, he didn't make it to that area of the house."
Trump dismissed criticism from Democrats who argued the action was unauthorized by Congress and illegal.
Speaking in a wide-ranging phone interview Tuesday morning, Trump rejected claims that the strike was unjustified, calling his critics "weak" and accusing them of trying to deflect from what he described as years of policy failures.
"Look, these are weak, stupid people, and they're trying to save themselves from almost destroying our country," Trump said, responding to questions about whether he had congressional authorization for the operation. "If I didn't get elected, I don't even think we would have a country right now."
Trump praised the military action as "genius" and "incredibly well organized," crediting U.S. forces for executing what he described as a highly precise operation in Caracas. He said American personnel operated in near-total darkness and faced heavy resistance, but carried out the mission successfully.
"They did an incredible job, these men and women that went out there last night, the courage they had," Trump said. "We're saving lives."
The president repeatedly framed the operation as part of a broader effort to combat drug trafficking, claiming maritime drug smuggling into the United States has been reduced dramatically under his administration. He said each interdicted vessel prevents tens of thousands of deaths tied to fentanyl and other narcotics.
Trump also said his administration was prepared to launch additional strikes if necessary, describing a "second wave" that was ultimately deemed unnecessary because of the operation's effectiveness.
"We were prepared," he said. "We were out there with an armada like nobody's ever seen before."
Asked about Vice President JD Vance's statement that the U.S. had offered Maduro multiple offramps, Trump said he personally spoke with Maduro about a week ago and urged him to surrender.
"It was close," Trump said, adding that Maduro ultimately refused.
Trump warned that Maduro loyalists who remain in Venezuela face a bleak future, while suggesting public support for the regime has collapsed. He said demonstrations in Caracas included people waving American flags, a claim that could not be independently verified.
On the future of Venezuela's oil industry, Trump said U.S. companies would be "very strongly involved," emphasizing American energy dominance and rejecting concerns about international backlash, including from China.
"I have a very good relationship with President Xi [Jinping], and there's not going to be a problem," he said.
Trump declined to identify the specific U.S. military units involved, citing operational security, but described the forces as the most highly trained in the world. He said War Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military officials would provide additional details at a scheduled press conference 11 a.m.
Near the end of the interview, Trump said Maduro and his wife had been taken into U.S. custody and were being transported by ship, the USS Iwo Jima, before heading to New York, where they face indictments.
"They've killed a lot of people," Trump said. "Even people in their own country, to maintain power."
Despite concerns raised by lawmakers about the constitutional authority for the strike and the risk of prolonged U.S. involvement in Venezuela, Trump said the operation sends a clear message.
"We're not going to be pushed around as a country anymore," he said.
Newsmax writer Eric Mack contributed to this report.
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