President Donald Trump has confirmed that the elite Delta Force, a premier counterterrorism and direct-action team of the U.S. Army, executed a bold nighttime raid in Venezuela. This operation resulted in the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro and his spouse.

Known formally as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, Delta Force is renowned for its expertise in high-risk assignments. Their missions often involve neutralizing or apprehending high-value targets, requiring a unique blend of speed, stealth, and accuracy.

Operating under the U.S. Special Operations Command, this unit is typically engaged when missions are of significant political or strategic importance.

As detailed by Military.com, Delta Force calls Fort Bragg, North Carolina its home, a central hub for U.S. Army special operations training. The unit has played pivotal roles in significant military operations, such as the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein. This clandestine group has also spearheaded numerous counterterrorism efforts across Afghanistan and the Middle East, targeting top al-Qaeda leaders.

On December 16, 2025, U.S. military personnel were observed on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, docked at the Rafael Cordero Santiago Port of the Americas in Ponce, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)

Delta Force is commanded by a senior Army officer, but the identity of the unit’s leader is also kept classified, as is the exact size of the unit. 

It is unclear how many members took part in the Venezuela operation.

During the raid, U.S. Army helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the “Night Stalkers,” flew the special operations forces into Venezuela, officials said.

At least seven explosions were heard in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and low-flying aircraft were seen over the city at about 2 a.m. local time, according to reports.

The CIA provided intelligence to the Department of War that helped guide Delta Force to Maduro and his wife, whom President Donald Trump said were apprehended during the U.S. military operation.

Officials emphasized that while the CIA played a critical role in tracking and locating Maduro, U.S. military special operations forces carried out the physical capture.

Smoke rises from Fort Tiuna, the main military garrison in Caracas, Venezuela, after multiple explosions were heard and aircraft swept through the area, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Trump told “FOX & Friends Weekend” early Saturday that U.S. military personnel involved in the operation “did an incredible job.”

“They rehearsed and practiced like nobody’s ever seen,” Trump said. “And I was told by real military people that there’s no other country on earth that could do such a maneuver.”

Trump said he watched the operation unfold in real time.

“The whole maneuver of the landings, the number of aircraft — which were massive — the number of helicopters, different types of helicopters, different types of fighter jets,” Trump said. “We had a fighter jet for every possible situation.”

“They just broke in and they broke into places that were not really able to be broken into,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Trump said Maduro was inside a fortified residence but was captured before he could reach a secure area.

Maduro and his wife were taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima and are expected to be transported to the United States. (Getty Images)

Trump also said there were injuries during the operation but no U.S. fatalities and no aircraft losses.

Maduro and his wife were taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima and are expected to be transported to the United States, where they could appear in federal court in New York City as soon as Monday, Fox News has learned.