Reason JD Vance skipped Trump’s Venezuela briefing despite being closely involved in operation

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance was noticeably absent when President Donald Trump publicly announced the dramatic capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, but aides insist the 41-year-old played a critical behind-the-scenes role in one of the most consequential US military operations in recent years.

The explanation came amid mounting questions after Trump appeared before reporters flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, just hours after Maduro was taken into custody earlier this week.

Vance’s absence was rooted in operational security

Vance did not attend the high-profile news conference on Saturday, January 3, even as Trump confirmed the US troops were involved in the operation “at a very high level” and declined to rule out a sustained American military presence in Venezuela.

According to a spokesperson, Vance’s absence was intentional and rooted in operational security.

“The vice president joined by secure video conference throughout the night to monitor the operation,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “He returned to Cincinnati after the operation concluded.”

The aide added that the national security team feared a late-night motorcade involving the vice president could have alerted Venezuelan officials as the operation was getting underway.

Security concerns shape Trump-Vance movements

The spokesperson further revealed that Trump and Vance have been limiting the “frequency and duration” of time they spend together outside the White House due to heightened security concerns tied to the Venezuela mission.

While Vance met with Trump earlier at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the strikes, he was not present when senior officials gathered at Trump’s golf club to monitor the operation in real time.

Despite his physical absence, Vance moved quickly to publicly support the mission once it was revealed.

“Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says,” Vance wrote on X.

In a separate post, he pushed back on critics questioning the legality of the operation.

“And PSA for everyone saying this was ‘illegal’: Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narco-te**orism. You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” he wrote.

Trump hints at US troops' extended presence in Venezuela

During the briefing, Trump confirmed that American forces were already operating inside Venezuela and left the door open to an extended deployment.

“They always say boots on the ground, so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” the commander-in-chief said.

He also announced that the US would effectively “run” Venezuela until what he described as a “safe, orderly” transition of power could be achieved.

Trump acknowledged that Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez — handpicked by Maduro — had already been sworn in as his successor, but said US officials were in direct contact with her.

“She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great,” Trump said.

The president did not clarify whether Washington would ultimately support opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, leaving Venezuela’s political future uncertain.

Vance’s past skepticism of foreign interventions resurfaces

Vance’s behind-the-scenes involvement stands in contrast to his previous skepticism of US military interventions abroad.

In a leaked Signal chat following US strikes against the Houthis last March, Vance warned fellow Trump Cabinet officials that the action could be a mistake.

“I think we are making a mistake,” Vance wrote at the time, noting that just 3% of US trade passes through the Suez Canal compared to 40% of European trade.

“There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary,” he added, questioning whether Trump fully grasped how the strikes aligned with his broader message on Europe.

This time, however, Vance appears firmly aligned with Trump’s hardline stance, even if he remained out of the public spotlight.