President Trump declared that the United States has taken control of Venezuela following the dramatic capture of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation early Saturday. The announcement came amid growing questions about who is governing the South American nation in the aftermath of the American intervention.

“Don’t ask me who’s in charge because I’ll give you an answer, and it’ll be very controversial,” Trump told reporters before clarifying: “It means we’re in charge.”

The unprecedented operation involved more than 150 aircraft in what officials described as a surgical strike to apprehend Maduro, who was transported to New York and is facing drug conspiracy charges. Images shared by Trump showed the captured Venezuelan leader aboard the USS Iwo Jima following the operation.

Trump outlined an ambitious plan for Venezuela’s future under U.S. oversight, focusing on rebuilding the country’s collapsed economy before any transition to democratic elections. He portrayed Venezuela as a failed state that requires extensive reconstruction after years of economic mismanagement under Maduro’s leadership.

“We have to do one thing in Venezuela. Bring it back. It’s a dead country right now,” Trump said, comparing Venezuela’s collapse to what he claimed would have happened to the United States had he lost the election.

Central to Trump’s recovery plan is the restoration of Venezuela’s once-thriving oil industry. He described how American oil companies – not U.S. taxpayers – would finance the reconstruction while the U.S. oversees broader recovery efforts.

“The oil companies are going to go in and rebuild this system. They’re going to spend billions of dollars,” Trump explained, arguing that Venezuela had previously “stolen” American property by nationalizing oil assets. “Remember, they stole our property. It was the greatest theft in the history of America.”

The president confirmed that while he has not personally spoken with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, U.S. officials are coordinating with the new leadership. Rodríguez has been addressing the media in Caracas following Maduro’s capture, though her exact relationship with the American-led interim administration remains unclear.

Trump emphasized that elections would be postponed until the country achieves stability. “We’re going to run everything,” he said. “We’re going to run it, fix it. We’ll have elections at the right time.”

When questioned whether the operation constituted regime change or was motivated by oil interests, Trump framed the intervention within the context of the Monroe Doctrine, the 19th-century policy asserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

“It’s about peace on Earth,” Trump said. “You gotta have peace, it’s our hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine was very important when it was done.” He criticized previous administrations for failing to enforce the doctrine while claiming his administration has restored it as a guiding principle.

The intervention has drawn mixed reactions internationally, with some nations condemning it as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty while others have welcomed the removal of Maduro, whose rule has been marked by economic collapse and mass migration.

Trump also addressed the humanitarian dimension, pledging support for Venezuelans displaced by years of economic turmoil, including those currently residing in the United States. “We’re going to take care of, more importantly, of the people, including Venezuelans that are living in our country that were forced to leave their country,” he stated.

In the same press briefing, Trump issued warnings about other nations in the region, particularly Colombia, which he accused of enabling drug trafficking into the United States. When asked if U.S. action against Colombia might be forthcoming, Trump replied, “It sounds good to me,” suggesting potential further interventions in Latin America under his renewed Monroe Doctrine approach.