Fact Check: Did Trump strike a deal with Venezuelan officials to remove Nicolas Maduro?
WASHINGTON, DC: A dramatic US military operation codenamed "Operation Absolute Resolve" stunned the world when American Special Forces raided Caracas, captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, January 3.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York to face some long-standing charges.
The swift action ended more than a decade of Maduro's rule and sparked intense debate about the legality, motives, and behind-the-scenes dynamics of the intervention.
Amid the fallout, questions quickly arose over whether the outcome was purely the result of unilateral American force or if quieter negotiations with figures inside the Venezuelan regime had paved the way.
Claim: Trump made a secret deal with Venezuelan officials before arresting Nicolas Maduro
There are unverified reports and speculation suggesting that Trump or his administration made a secret deal with Venezuelan officials, such as regime insiders, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, or military leaders, to facilitate the removal of Maduro in exchange for concessions, immunity, or other benefits.
To provide context on Maduro's arrest, he now faces four criminal charges in the United States, including n*rco-t*rrorism, conspiracy to import c*caine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
He pleaded not guilty before a New York federal court on Monday. In Maduro’s absence, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has assumed the role of interim president of Venezuela.
Fact Check: False, Trump did not make a deal with Venezuelan officials
On Monday, Trump revealed that his administration had an opportunity to strike a deal with Venezuelan officials to remove Maduro, but his team chose to act without the support of Maduro’s inner circle.
Trump said a group of officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President Vance, would help oversee Washington’s involvement in Venezuela.
“It's a group of all. They have expertise, different expertise,” he told NBC News, identifying the team as Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Vance. When asked who is ultimately in charge of Venezuela, Trump replied simply, “Me.”
After hearing from Trump that he had not made any deal with Venezuelan officials to remove Maduro, it is now clear that any actions were carried out by Trump and his team without the support of Venezuelan officials, confirming that the claim is false.
Trump declares Venezuela cannot hold an election after Nicolas Maduro’s capture
Regarding potential new elections in Venezuela after Maduro’s capture, Trump told NBC News that the country first needs significant rebuilding. “You can't have an election. There's no way the people could even vote,” he said, adding, “We have to nurse the country back to health.”
Trump emphasized that it will take considerable time before Venezuelans can hold a credible vote.
Meanwhile, Stephen Miller said Trump has asked Secretary of State Rubio to lead efforts to implement economic and political reforms in Venezuela.
“Under the president’s close guidance, Marco Rubio will take the lead on this process,” Miller told reporters, noting that Rubio will oversee a team covering energy, finance, and military policy. “It's a big team, a group of people, everybody's working great and closely together,” Miller added.
Miller also said the US is receiving “full, complete, and total” cooperation from Venezuela’s interim government following Maduro’s capture.
“We are very much getting full, complete and total cooperation from the government of Venezuela, and as a result of that cooperation, the people of Venezuela are going to become richer than they ever have before, and of course, the United States is going to benefit from this massively in terms of economic security and military cooperation,” he said.
On Sunday, Rubio sought to temper Trump’s comments about “running” Venezuela, clarifying that the US does not intend to govern the country day to day. “We're going to judge everything by what they do, and we're going to see what they do,” he said, referring to Venezuela’s current leadership.
