Trump says Maduro, his wife, captured, taken out of Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday in a Truth Social post that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of Venezuela. 

This file photo taken on Dec. 8, 2025 shows the city of Caracas, capital of Venezuela. U.S. officials confirmed strikes against Venezuela, Fox News reported. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

"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 Country," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago," Trump added.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on early Saturday morning barred U.S. aircraft from flying at any altitude within Venezuelan airspace following reports of explosions in Caracas, citing "safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity."

Venezuela on Saturday denounced a "military aggression" by the United States, after large explosions were heard and aircraft were seen over the capital Caracas earlier in the day.

The Venezuelan government said that the military strike targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states of the country, including Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, adding that the U.S. action blatantly violated the UN Charter.

Low-flying aircraft were spotted, and clouds of smoke were seen following loud explosion sounds at around 2:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) Saturday in Caracas.

Reports said brief power outages occurred in some areas, including a military base in Caracas.

In the statement, the Venezuelan government said that President Nicolas Maduro had "ordered all national defense plans to be implemented" and declared "a state of external disturbance."

Shortly after the attack started, CBS White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs cited U.S. officials saying that President Donald Trump had ordered the strikes, while FOX News reported that U.S. officials confirmed the bombings.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Saturday called for an urgent meeting of the Organization of American States and the UN on the attack in Venezuela.

Over the past months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier, and about 15,000 troops, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.