US President Donald Trump is set to meet with the elite special forces unit responsible for capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a high-stakes and deadly military operation in Caracas earlier this year. The meeting will take place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, will personally greet the troops and their families.
The January 3 operation, described by the White House as “Operation Absolute Resolve,” unfolded under the cover of darkness. US forces reportedly entered Venezuelan airspace by helicopter after coordinated airstrikes targeted key Venezuelan military installations. According to Venezuelan officials, the assault resulted in 83 fatalities and left more than 112 people injured. US officials confirmed that no American service members were killed during the mission.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized from a heavily guarded compound in Caracas during the raid. The dramatic operation has since drawn global attention, sparking intense debate over sovereignty, military intervention, and geopolitical power in Latin America.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the President and First Lady would meet “the heroic members of our special forces who carried out the successful operation and helped bring narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro to justice.” The administration has framed the mission as a decisive move against drug trafficking and regional instability.
Maduro is currently being held in the United States, where he faces charges related to drug trafficking and other alleged crimes. He has pleaded not guilty. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 17 in New York.
In the political aftermath, Trump approved former vice president Delcy Rodriguez to assume leadership in Venezuela following Maduro’s removal, contingent upon compliance with US demands regarding oil access and a reduction in state repression. The move signals Washington’s intent to influence the future direction of Venezuelan governance.
President Trump has repeatedly described the operation as a demonstration of American military strength. Speaking at a rally in Iowa shortly after the raid, he praised the unit involved, calling them “a group of unbelievably talented patriotic people that love our country.”
He also referenced what he described as a classified tool used during the mission — a so-called “discombobulator” — claiming it disabled Venezuelan military equipment. “I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Trump said in a recent NBC News interview. “But none of their equipment works. Everything was discombobulated.”
The operation has reshaped diplomatic conversations across the Western Hemisphere. Supporters argue it reinforces US commitment to combating narcotics networks and authoritarian regimes. Critics question the long-term consequences for regional stability and international law.
Beyond the politics and military strategy, the human cost of the raid remains part of the story. Families in Caracas are grieving loved ones. American military families are welcoming home soldiers who risked their lives in a mission carried out thousands of miles away. On both sides, ordinary people are living with the consequences of decisions made in corridors of power.
As Trump stands before the troops at Fort Bragg, the moment will symbolize more than a military victory or political messaging. It will reflect a chapter in a deeply complex relationship between two nations — one defined by power, conflict, and the lives forever changed in its wake.
