The U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated this Saturday that the Trump Administration did not need to seek authorization from Congress for the arrest of Maduro in Caracas.
“This was an exercise in law enforcement. It was the Department of War, in support of the Department of Justice, that brought out a defendant who will ultimately face justice... this is not something that is notified to Congress in advance,” commented Hegseth on X.
Earlier on Saturday, Hegseth commented that Nicolás Maduro's removal from Venezuela is an example of how the "America First" doctrine operates.
"This is America first, this is peace through strength," declared Donald Trump at the press conference from Mar-A-Lago.
“Nicolás Maduro had his chance, like others had theirs, until he no longer did (...) this is America first, this is peace through strength. Welcome to 2026,” he added.
Hegseth praised the military personnel who participated in the action: “A flawless bombing executed by the best army that the U.S. has to offer (…) Our warriors are the elite of the U.S.”
Maduro arrives in the U.S.
The arrival of Nicolás Maduro in the state of New York occurred this Saturday on a U.S. Air Force plane that landed at Stewart National Air Base at 4:32 PM local time, after taking off from Guantánamo.
The flight was a Boeing 757 coming from Guantánamo and it arrived just northwest of New York City.
The aircraft's departure occurred amid a significant deployment of forces from the FBI, the DEA, and the National Guard, as seen in the video broadcasted on Fox News. The descent of the plane was slow and involved dozens of federal agents.
CNN had reported that Maduro, then aboard the USS Iwo Jima, would make a brief stop in Guantánamo as part of a logistical plan to expedite his transfer to New York.
Previously, Donald Trump had circulated images of Maduro chained and blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima, claiming that the Venezuelan leader was being transported "to face charges."
Regarding the judicial process, Maduro is expected to face charges of drug and arms trafficking in a federal court in Manhattan next week.
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