US President Donald Trump has made his most detailed claim yet about the fate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying the leader was captured in a US military raid and is now aboard an American warship, the USS Iwo Jima, en route to New York to face prosecution.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Fox News, Trump said US forces removed Maduro and his wife from Venezuelan territory using helicopters and transferred them to the naval vessel following what he described as a swift and violent operation. He added that he personally watched the mission unfold in real time.

What Trump revealed about Maduro’s whereabouts

Trump claimed the operation targeted a heavily guarded location where Maduro was staying at the time of the raid.

“He was in a fortress,” Trump said, adding that no US personnel were killed during the mission. He acknowledged that some troops were injured but said they were expected to recover.

The US president said the strike lasted less than 30 minutes and showed that Washington would not be “pushed around.” He added that the United States would remain deeply involved in Venezuela and would not allow any successor to simply step into Maduro’s role.

According to Trump, helicopters flew Maduro and his wife to the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship operating in the Caribbean, before their planned transfer to the United States.

Charges announced in New York

Shortly after Trump’s remarks, US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been indicted in the Southern District of New York.

In a statement posted on X, Bondi said Maduro faces charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to use weapons against the United States.

She said both Maduro and Flores would soon face prosecution in US courts.

Maduro and senior members of his government were previously indicted by US authorities in 2020 on drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges. What remains unclear is whether the charges announced now represent a new indictment or an expanded version of earlier cases, particularly with respect to Flores.

What happened on the ground in Venezuela

Senior ruling party div Nahum Fernández told the Associated Press that Maduro and Flores were inside the Fort Tiuna military complex in Caracas when the attack began.

Fort Tiuna is one of Venezuela’s most heavily secured installations, housing key military and government facilities.

Fernández said the area was bombed and described the operation as a kidnapping of the president and first lady.

Residents across Caracas reported at least seven explosions, with low-flying aircraft sweeping over the capital. Social media quickly filled with videos showing tracer fire, flashes in the night sky, and rising smoke. The footage was later verified by international news agencies.

Smoke was seen near a military hangar, another military site reportedly lost power, and electricity was cut in some neighborhoods, though traffic continued to move on major roads.

Casualties and immediate fallout

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said civilians and members of the armed forces were killed in the operation, though she did not provide numbers.

Rodríguez demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores and accused the United States of attacking both civilian and military infrastructure. She described the strike as an imperialist assault on Venezuelan sovereignty.

Under Venezuela’s constitution, Rodríguez would assume power if Maduro were confirmed incapacitated or removed from office. As of now, no formal announcement has been made that she has taken over as acting president.

State of emergency declared

Following the operation, the Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency, granting sweeping powers to suspend civil rights and expand the role of the armed forces.

Officials said the measures were necessary to maintain order and respond to what they described as an external military attack. Security forces were placed on high alert across the country amid uncertainty over the leadership situation.

Why the USS Iwo Jima matters

The USS Iwo Jima is a large amphibious assault ship capable of carrying helicopters, aircraft, and thousands of troops. Its reported role underscores the scale of US military involvement and suggests the operation was planned well in advance.

Defense analysts say transporting a captured foreign head of state aboard a US Navy vessel would be highly unusual and legally complex, raising serious questions under international law.

What remains unclear

Despite Trump’s detailed account, several key questions remain unanswered.

Has Maduro’s capture been independently confirmed by US defense officials?
Where exactly is he being held, and under what legal authority?
How will international bodies such as the United Nations respond?
What happens next inside Venezuela’s political and military leadership?

No photographic evidence or official Pentagon confirmation has been released so far.

TL;DR

Donald Trump says Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US military raid, flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, and is being transported to New York to face criminal charges. US officials have announced indictments, while Venezuela says civilians and soldiers were killed and has demanded proof of life. The episode marks a dramatic and unprecedented escalation in US-Venezuela relations.