Major news organizations in the United States reported that former President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and removed from Venezuela following U.S. military strikes early Saturday. The accounts are based on statements Trump made on social media platforms and were carried by multiple U.S. outlets covering the developing situation. 

According to those reports, Trump described the operation as a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela that resulted in Maduro and his wife being captured and flown out of the country. He said law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation, though he did not name specific agencies or provide details about where Maduro was taken or how the capture occurred. 

The announcement came amid reports of explosions and military aircraft activity in and around Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. Venezuelan authorities declared a national state of emergency in response to the strikes, accused the United States of aggression, and mobilized security forces across the country. 

As of the latest reporting, independent confirmation of Maduro’s capture — including by the Venezuelan government or international monitoring agencies — has not been issued. U.S. officials had not publicly verified the capture or released operational details at the time of initial media reports. 

The claims represent a major escalation in the already tense relationship between the United States and Venezuela, which has involved months of U.S. military buildup near Venezuela, strikes against suspected drug trafficking operations linked to Venezuelan territory, and sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials. 

International reactions and additional reporting were expected as further details become available.

Sources: ABC, BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, CBS News