Sources & Methods: "Venezuela Leader Captured. Trump Says U.S. to 'Run' the Country. Here’s What We Know"

Date: January 4, 2026
Host: Mary Louise Kelly (NPR)
Guests: Greg Myre (National Security Correspondent), Tom Bowman (Pentagon Correspondent), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), Carrie Kahn (South America Correspondent)

Main Theme & Purpose

This special episode urgently covers the stunning overnight U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and a dramatic announcement by President Trump that the U.S. will "run the country" until a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" can occur. NPR’s correspondents break down what happened, examine the legality and implications of U.S. actions, congressional reaction, and responses from Venezuelan leaders and citizens.

Breakdown of Key Discussion Points

1. The Operation: How Maduro Was Captured (00:27 – 04:44)

• Scale and Surprise
  • The operation, "Absolute Resolve", was significant in scale: 150 aircraft, airstrikes dismantled air defenses, and U.S. special forces raided Maduro’s residence in Caracas.
  • “It took American forces just over 2 hours, 150 aircraft and the dismantling of Venezuela's air defenses…” – Mary Louise Kelly [00:34]
  • “Officials said it was done with complete surprise.” – Tom Bowman [00:27]
• Execution Details
  • Trump gave the order at 11PM; the operation began at 1AM ET.
  • Delta Force entered by helicopter, apprehended Maduro and his wife as they attempted to seek refuge in a safe room.
  • “They went into the house and Maduro tried to flee through the steel door into a safe room. Both he and his wife were taken… No U.S. casualties.” – Tom Bowman [02:36]
  • The captured leaders transferred to the USS Iwo Jima and then extradited to New York on narco-trafficking charges.
• Intelligence and Preparation
  • Months of “pattern of life” surveillance on Maduro’s movements by CIA, NSA, and National Geospatial Agency.
  • U.S. built a mock-up of Maduro’s home, practicing just as with the Bin Laden raid.
  • “General Kaine mounted what’s called a pattern of life... We knew how he moved, lived, traveled, ate.” – Tom Bowman [03:41]

2. Legality, Precedent, and Reaction in Washington (04:44 – 14:54)

• Is This Legal?
  • Debate over legality: Democrats claim the action is unauthorized and unconstitutional, requiring Congressional assent.
  • “[They’re] saying things like, Trump's action is an illegal escalation, he's trampling the Constitution, it's an abuse of power.” – Greg Myre [05:05]
  • Trump’s team frames the raid as law enforcement, referring to prior indictments for drug trafficking and terrorism.
• The Trump Doctrine
  • Trump claims: “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” [01:36]
  • Mary Louise Kelly notes the gravity of this statement, questioning "what it means, how it's possible" [01:55–02:00]
• Congressional Reaction: Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) [11:15 – 16:03]
  • Smith slams the lack of a plan, questions the feasibility of “running” Venezuela, and calls for immediate Congressional oversight.
  • “The president has not presented a plan… This certainly doesn’t seem to be something that's going to advance U.S. interests.” – Rep. Adam Smith [11:50]
  • Smith notes Congress had no advance notice, urges hearings, and pushes to cut off funding for any ground operations:
    “I oppose boots on the ground in Venezuela. If the President is entertaining it, then Congress should act to cut that off and block any money going for that purpose.” [14:21]
• Historical Parallels
  • Smith draws a parallel to Iraq and Libya, warning of further instability once a dictator is toppled:
    “A bad situation can be made worse. And now, again, the U.S. is on the hook for a lot of this.” [14:17]

3. Plausibility and Risks of U.S. "Running" Venezuela (06:00 – 10:54)

• No Clear Plan or Presence
  • U.S. currently lacks a diplomatic or troop presence—the embassy has been closed since 2019.
  • “How is the US going to run a country when it really doesn't have a presence, at least at the moment?” – Mary Louise Kelly [06:59]
• Venezuelan Public and Military Uncertainty
  • While many Venezuelans resent Maduro’s authoritarianism, it’s unclear how they’ll react to foreign occupation.
  • Potential for military splintering and guerrilla resistance.
  • “Will [the army] stand down? Could you have some sort of guerrilla force within the military working on behalf of Maduro and his supporters?” – Tom Bowman [08:19]
• Oil Sector and Nation-Building
  • Venezuela’s collapsed oil industry is seen as key, but restoration requires years and massive investment.
  • “That doesn't happen overnight. That is a multi-year process.” – Greg Myre [08:52]
  • Trump alluded to ongoing U.S. military presence to secure oil infrastructure—but scale of such a mission is unknown. [09:23]

4. On-the-Ground Reporting: Venezuelan Reactions (16:39 – 21:29)

• Kerry Kahn (South America Correspondent) from Rio de Janeiro
  • Confirms uncertainty about Vice President Delse Rodriguez’s role—she appeared at a televised Defense Council and explicitly rejected U.S. claims of authority:
    • “There is only one president of Venezuela, and it's Maduro… Venezuela will never surrender, will not ever return to being a colony of anyone, including new empires and empires in decline.” – Delse Rodriguez (quoted by Kerry Kahn) [17:52]
  • Venezuelan government staging a “show of unity,” not submission.
• Ordinary Venezuelans: Mixed Emotions—Relief and Fear
  • “[We heard] some relief that Maduro was gone…if a transition is to happen, God willing, she hopes it will be peaceful.” – Sandra Martinez, retired worker [19:18]
  • Others anxious about security:
    “Everyone’s saying the next days will be difficult… I'm taking what little money I have and buying as much food as I can.” – Carlos Barrada, shopkeeper [19:18]
• Opposition Leader’s Stance
  • Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado hails the opportunity:
    “Peace and sovereignty are coming to Venezuela… all political prisoners will be released and we will bring all our children home.” [20:51]
  • Trump shrugged off Machado’s role, saying: “She's a very nice woman, but doesn't have respect inside Venezuela.” [21:16]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump (clip):

  • “We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” [01:36–01:41]

• Mary Louise Kelly:

  • “I'm still trying to wrap my head around that phrase.” [01:55]
  • “How is the US going to run a country when it really doesn't have a presence, at least at the moment?” [06:59]

• Tom Bowman:

  • “No US casualties and no word yet, Mary Louise, on Venezuelan casualties… Maduro and his wife were taken by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima…” [02:36]

• Greg Myre:

  • “Trump's team is trying to portray this as a military action which was part of a law enforcement operation…” [05:05]
  • “Trump has been much more aggressive with the military in this term... sending troops always seemed to be a red line, but this time it didn't seem to bother him.” [06:08]

• Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA):

  • “What I hope the American people are thinking about is, how does this advance US interests? It's not going to do much of anything to reduce the drug [trade]. Maduro was not actually running that.” [12:38]
  • “If you try to enforce [regional stability] at the point of a gun, that does not typically lead to greater stability.” [13:27]

• Kerry Kahn (paraphrasing Delse Rodriguez):

  • “Venezuela will never surrender, will not ever return to being a colony of anyone, including new empires and empires in decline.” [17:52]

Important Timestamps

• [00:27–04:44] — Operation “Absolute Resolve”: Planning, execution, and the intelligence picture
• [05:05–06:59] — Congressional/legal controversy; U.S. intentions for 'running' Venezuela
• [08:02–09:38] — Uncertainty over Venezuelan support, military response, oil infrastructure
• [11:15–16:03] — Interview: Rep. Adam Smith’s critique, oversight demands
• [16:39–21:29] — Kerry Kahn with on-the-ground responses from the Venezuelan government and citizens

Tone & Takeaways

The episode moves at a rapid-fire, investigative pace, emphasizing uncertainty, risk, and disbelief among NPR reporters and their guests. There is a persistent undercurrent of alarm regarding both U.S. constitutional norms and the stability of Venezuela. The gravity of the U.S. military action—and its open-ended consequences—drove the discussions, punctuated by a candid skepticism of official narratives from all sides.

This episode is a comprehensive, on-the-fly debrief on one of the most consequential U.S. military interventions in the Western Hemisphere in decades, balancing hard news reporting with urgent analysis and on-the-ground reactions.