President Donald Trump has released a historic photograph on his Truth Social account confirming the successful capture and extraction of Nicolás Maduro. The image, which began circulating early Saturday, depicts the former Venezuelan leader on board the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship currently stationed in the Caribbean Sea.
Trump shares the first photo of Maduro in U.S. custody pic.twitter.com/q1BhwSZYaT
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) January 3, 2026
The “Truth Social” Reveal
The photograph shows a disheveled Maduro under the guard of personnel wearing “DEA” tactical uniforms, confirming the involvement of the Drug Enforcement Administration alongside military assets. Despite the tightly cropped nature of the image, forensic analysts and news agencies have verified the subject as Maduro, citing distinct physiological markers.
Declassified Details of “Operation Absolute Resolve”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, and intelligence sources have begun briefing the public on the months of clandestine preparation that preceded the Friday night raid:
- The Mock-Up: Elite U.S. Army Delta Force operators reportedly spent months training in a full-scale replica of Maduro’s fortified safe house to ensure a seamless entry.
- The “Asset” Inside: Intelligence sources confirm that the CIA successfully embedded an asset close to Maduro’s inner circle who provided real-time movement tracking leading up to the strike.
- On-the-Ground Intelligence: A specialized CIA team has been active in Venezuela since August, mapping Maduro’s “pattern of life” to identify the optimal window for extraction.
- The Final Go-Ahead: President Trump reportedly authorized the mission four days prior, but held the strike for 96 hours to wait for optimal weather conditions. The final “Go” command for “Operation Absolute Resolve” was issued at 10:46 p.m. EST on Friday.
Current Legal and Military Posture
Maduro is currently being processed by DEA and military officials aboard the USS Iwo Jima before his scheduled transfer to a federal detention center in New York. While the Trump administration hails the operation as a masterclass in precision and intelligence, the Pentagon maintains a high state of alert in the Caribbean to deter any retaliatory efforts from Maduro-loyalist remnants of the Venezuelan military.
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“This was the most complex operation in recent memory,” a senior administration official stated. “It was a seamless execution of months of rehearsals and pinpoint intelligence.”
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