In a dramatic turn of events, Nicolás Maduro, the embattled Venezuelan leader whose presidency many have deemed illegitimate, is now in custody in New York City. This follows a bold operation by U.S. special forces, who swooped in during the early hours of Saturday to extract Maduro from Venezuela. Alongside him, his wife, Cilia Flores, also faces a series of charges brought forth by the Southern District of New York.

In the wake of these developments, President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed the media to provide insights into this daring operation. Their statements highlighted the intricate planning and execution that led to the successful capture of the Maduros, a significant milestone previously covered by RedState.

The White House has since shared several images capturing the operation as it unfolded, offering a glimpse into the high-stakes mission. These images have sparked discussions and speculation about the individuals involved, with some noting the absence of familiar faces.

Meanwhile, Maria Corina Machado, a prominent opposition figure against Maduro’s regime, made her voice heard following the news of his apprehension. On Saturday, she expressed her stance on who should assume the presidency of Venezuela, emphasizing the urgency of restoring legitimate leadership in the country.

NEW: The White House releases photos of President Trump and his national security team monitoring the Venezuela mission from Mar-a-Lago pic.twitter.com/kCyPXGZGGJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 3, 2026

More in a minute on some whisperings people have been making about who is, and isn’t, in those snapshots.

As I wrote earlier, the leading opposition voices to Maduro’s dictatorial regime, Maria Corina Machado, made remarks on Saturday after the news broke about Maduro’s capture and extraction, stating her preference on who will take over the Venezuelan presidential seat immediately.

But it is still up in the air who will lead the country on a long term basis.

READ MORE: Venezuela Promises to Be a Geopolitical Game Changer If Trump Can Convert a Triumph Into Victory

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Shares Who She Thinks Should Lead After Maduro Capture

The leftists in our country, however, did not take it well, pretty much suffering a massive meltdown, including the newly sworn-in mayor of New York City, Dromcratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who swiftly placed a phone call with POTUS over the matter. Then there were the performative posts by Congressional Democrats, who bemoaned the move as “illegal,” and a “war” that was not authorized by Congress.

Hot Takes: Trump’s Middle of the Night Op Is Giving the Democrats Heartburn

Vice President JD Vance, though, has bad news for them. First, when responding to the immediate reporting on Venezuela, he stated that the administration gave the alleged narcotrafficker and despot “multiple off ramps,” then he praised the U.S. military for its precise work:

The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.

Kudos to our brave… pic.twitter.com/b1fqkdbB4x

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2026

The post continued: “Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation.”

Vance turned next to any of the Dems who are conflicted over this, adding this timely PSA (public service announcement):

And PSA for everyone saying this was “illegal”:

Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2026

Boom. Plus, if they have any follow-up questions, AG Bondi helpful has the full charges for them to examine.

Some on social media wondered why the vice president wasn’t in the war room snapshots, or at the president’s press conference. Now there’s an explanation, according to Fox News White House correspondent, Aishah Hasnie:

VP VANCE met with TRUMP in West Palm Beach daytime Friday to discuss strikes. He was not physically at Mar a Lago during strikes but joined via secure video line. 

Returned to Cincinnati after the operation concluded. 

The White House is “trying to limit co-locating POTUS and VP when they are away from the White House due to increased security concerns,” Fox News reported.

In the meantime, Rubio may be adding more jobs to his workload:

Rubio realizing he’s going to be president of Venezuela, governor of Cuba, and the Shah of Iran. pic.twitter.com/wh5S2gpIi9

— Antonio García Martínez (agm.eth) (@antoniogm) January 3, 2026

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.