President Donald Trump dropped a major hint Saturday about who will not be leading Venezuela next, signaling that the future of the country remains firmly in U.S. hands following the dramatic military operation that captured longtime strongman Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking to reporters just hours after the operation was confirmed, Trump was asked whether the U.S. had been in contact with Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado. The president shut that down immediately.
“No, we haven’t,” Trump said.
When pressed on whether Machado could realistically emerge as Venezuela’s next leader, Trump was blunt.
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” he said. “She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”
The remarks sent a clear message that Washington is not rushing to anoint a successor following Maduro’s removal and that popular Western narratives about an immediate opposition takeover may be premature.
Earlier Saturday, the Trump administration confirmed that a U.S. military operation inside Venezuela resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Explosions were reported across Caracas as U.S. aircraft and special operations forces executed what officials described as a tightly controlled, limited-duration mission targeting key military and security assets tied to Maduro’s regime.
Trump later confirmed the operation himself, calling it a decisive strike against what he described as a narco-terrorist dictatorship that had destabilized the region for years, per Trending Politics.
U.S. officials said the mission included precision strikes to neutralize air defenses and command infrastructure, followed by a ground raid that successfully extracted Maduro and Flores. No U.S. casualties were reported.
The pair were flown out of Venezuela under heavy security and transferred into U.S. custody, where they are expected to face longstanding federal charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
White House officials described the mission as extraordinary, citing the complexity of locating and removing a sitting head of state from a hostile capital while minimizing civilian harm.
Attention is now rapidly shifting from the military operation itself to what comes next.
Trump’s comments about Machado underscore that the administration is approaching Venezuela’s transition cautiously and is not convinced that long-standing opposition figures automatically command the internal legitimacy needed to stabilize the country.
Machado has been a prominent voice against Maduro for years, but Trump’s remarks suggest the U.S. views internal power dynamics in Venezuela as far more fragile and complicated than outside observers often assume.
Reaction from U.S. adversaries was swift, with public condemnations expected. However, military analysts argue the private response may be very different.
Retired Admiral James Stavridis suggested that countries like Russia, China, and Iran are likely reassessing U.S. military capabilities behind closed doors after witnessing the scope and execution of the operation.
Trump also hinted that the U.S. could play a temporary stabilizing role in Venezuela during the transition period, emphasizing that the goal is order and accountability, not permanent occupation.
