US President Donald Trump has ruled out the possibility of holding new elections in Venezuela in the near term, saying the country must first be stabilised following the US military operation that led to
the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.
In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump said Venezuela would not see elections within the next 30 days, projecting a longer American engagement in the crisis-hit nation.
“We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote,” Trump said.
“No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have, we have to nurse the country back to health,” he added.
Trump’s comments come two days after US forces seized Maduro in a dramatic operation inside Venezuela.
Reuters reported that Maduro was placed aboard a US warship bound for New York to face criminal charges, following his indictment by a New York grand jury on allegations linked to terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offences.
His wife, Cilia Flores, was also detained.
During the NBC News interview, Trump outlined what he described as a broader plan to rebuild Venezuela, particularly its oil sector.
He said the US may subsidise oil companies to restore the country’s energy infrastructure, a project he suggested could be completed in less than 18 months.
“I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money,” Trump said.
“A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.”
Trump insisted, however, that the United States is not at war with Venezuela.
“No, we’re not,” he told NBC News.
Instead, he said Washington was targeting criminal networks.
“We’re at war with people who sell drugs. We’re at war with people that empty their prisons into our country and empty their drug addicts and empty their mental institutions into our country,” he said.
In the roughly 20-minute interview, Trump identified a group of senior US officials who will oversee Washington’s involvement in Venezuela, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller.
“It’s a group of all. They have all the expertise, different expertise,” Trump said.
When asked who ultimately was in charge, he gave a one-word response, “Me.”
Trump also said there had been discussions with Venezuelan officials about removing Maduro.
“Well, yeah, because a lot of people wanted to make a deal, but we decided to do it this way,” he said, adding that the operation was carried out without the cooperation of Maduro’s inner circle.
Trump warned that the US could launch another military incursion if Venezuelan officials fail to cooperate going forward, though he said he does not expect that to happen.
“We’re prepared to do it,” Trump said. “We anticipated doing it, actually.”
Reuters reported that the operation has raised significant legal questions, with experts noting that international law generally prohibits the use of force unless authorised by the UN Security Council or justified as self-defence.
The Trump administration has argued that Maduro is an illegitimate leader and that the action was linked to criminal indictments, though legal scholars said the justification remains contested.
Despite concerns from some political allies about a long-term US commitment abroad, Trump expressed confidence that his core supporters remain firmly behind him.
“MAGA loves it. MAGA loves what I’m doing,” he told NBC News. “MAGA is me.”
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