Trump Says the U.S. Will Take a Leading Role Following Changes in Venezuela’s Leadership

Trump characterized the military action as “extremely complex,” saying he personally followed its progress in real time.

“I watched it like I was watching a television show,” he told Fox & Friends, underscoring what he described as the precision and coordination involved.

He also stated that while some U.S. personnel were injured during the operation, there were no American fatalities.

“This is something that, gee, I don’t know, is amazing,” Trump said, pointing to the absence of deaths among U.S. forces.

He described the limited number of injuries as remarkable given the scale of the operation he outlined, portraying it as evidence of effective planning and execution.

In his public comments, Trump strongly defended the decision to act, framing it within broader U.S. national security goals. He linked the operation to longstanding concerns about drug trafficking, arguing that previous administrations had failed to adequately address the issue.

“We did a great job with stopping drugs from coming into this country, and nobody’s been able to do it until we came along,” he said.

Trump acknowledged that critics might raise legal or constitutional objections, but dismissed such concerns as familiar political attacks.

According to him, the results justified the action, and he suggested that the operation should be viewed as a success rather than a controversy.

Beyond the immediate military claims, Trump also spoke extensively about Venezuela’s oil sector, which holds some of the largest proven reserves in the world.

He said U.S. oil companies would be allowed to operate in Venezuela, describing the country’s energy infrastructure as “badly broken” and in need of major investment.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said.

He presented this as a mutually beneficial arrangement, suggesting that foreign investment would help rebuild Venezuela’s economy while also providing returns for U.S. companies.

Trump also warned that the U.S. military was prepared to take further action if necessary. He stated that a second, larger operation could be launched should security conditions require it, emphasizing that the United States would not risk losing control after what he described as a major effort.

International implications were also addressed during Trump’s remarks. When asked about China’s interests in Venezuelan oil, Trump said he did not anticipate serious problems, citing his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to Trump, China would still have access to oil, but the United States would not allow another power to assume control in a way that could destabilize the situation.

“There’s not going to be a problem,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. would permit oil access while ensuring that the transition process remained secure.

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