News donald trump the US venezuela
FIFA Peace Prize winner Donald Trump has launched an attack on Venezuela and captured its president – 15 first reactions
The US has launched what Donald Trump is calling a “large scale strike” against Venezuela, leading to the capture of the South American country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia.
Trump – noted “peace president”, Nobel Prize-chaser and, most prestigious of all, FIFA Peace Prize recipient – announced the assault early on Saturday. Explosions and low-lying aircraft were heard in the capital, Caracas.
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STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/nHDqtsqRFh
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 3, 2026
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Full-scale military operations appear to be underway against Venezuela, with dozens of helicopters with the U.S. Army spotted over the capital of Caracas. pic.twitter.com/kIqfbGjOK4
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 3, 2026
The BBC has good background on the run-up to this attack in what is notably an oil-rich state, which has now declared a state of emergency.
The initial reaction on social media so far is a typical mix of the Trump cheerleaders and those watching in fear as a, erm, volatile president gets involved in a conflict – with another potentially brewing in Iran.
Nothing to worry about folks! Besides, Trump is running this show on a healthy diet of aspirin and McDonald’s!
A selection of the reaction so far.
1.
I have zero sympathy for Maduro and his regime, but there is no legitimacy in Trump deciding to bomb Venezuela.
It’s pure imperialism, which gives imperialists in Russia and China an excuse to use whataboutism to justify their own insane actions pic.twitter.com/fhbrthuULh
— Joni Askola (@joni_askola) January 3, 2026
2.
To believe this is about drug smuggling, you have to ignore Trump’s pardon of the former Honduran president for drug smuggling.
To believe it’s about Maduro’s democratic legitimacy, you have to believe Trump cares even slightly about democratic legitimacy.
Alternatively: pic.twitter.com/pUBCAJhMLO
— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) January 3, 2026
3.
#BREAKING US Army Special Operations MH-47G Chinook helicopters flying to objectives in capital of Caracas. Likely target Maduro himself.
This is an invasion of Venezuela now. Not a singular attack. pic.twitter.com/tlM3mHhKME
— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) January 3, 2026
4.
The history of US interventionism in Latin America is a history of human rights violations, human experimentation, slavery, poverty and genocide, not emancipation. Maduro is a monster who does not care about his people, but let’s not be naive: neither does the US
— Alonso Gurmendi (@Alonso_GD) January 3, 2026
5.
Neocons wanted violent regime change in Venezuela. Trump is giving them that.
Neocons wanted violent regime change in Iran. Trump is giving them that.
Neocons wanted blind support for Israel. Trump is given them that.
Tell me again how Trump is different to the neocons?
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) January 2, 2026
6.
The “Peace President” just announced a unilateral bombing & regime change in Venezuela – no Congress – then schedules a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, the same venue where Vanilla Ice recently performed with a Ninja Turtle.
America is no longer a serious country. pic.twitter.com/bSBm4IUQxY
— Canada Hates Trump (@AntiTrumpCanada) January 3, 2026
7.
“No more foreign wars”
“Peace President”Meanwhile, Trump is bombing Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/l1pDvWWIH0
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) January 3, 2026
8.
Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves — and that’s no coincidence.
This is naked U.S. imperialism: an illegal assault on Caracas aimed at overthrowing a sovereign government and plundering its resources.
Starmer’s Labour government must condemn this unequivocally.…
— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) January 3, 2026
9.
The United States is bombing Venezuela while the people are asleep!
Venezuela produces less than 1% of the world’s illegal drugs. But they do have the world’s largest proven oil reserve.
Still think this is really about stopping the cartels? pic.twitter.com/N1iJHzbZfz
— Mohamad Safa (@mhdksafa) January 3, 2026
10.
A seriously embarrassing night on which to be an American, even by our standards.
Love and peace to Venezuela, my god.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 3, 2026
11.
1:50am January 3, 2026 the American military begins an unprovoked attack on the sovereign nation of Venezuela. A violation of international law. Criminal. A violation of the UN Charter. Thousands will die in the first weeks of this new year. Make America Great Again?
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) January 3, 2026
12.
The Empire strikes back, not just to grab oil and other riches but, fundamentally, to hide its own weakness at home – and to prepare the ground for subjugating its own people, in Chicago, Portland, NYC etc. Meanwhile, a vassal Europe watches in silence… https://t.co/7m7P56YqWa
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) January 3, 2026
13.
I loathe the Maduro regime passionately and think Venezuelans would be better off without him but this attack is unprovoked, unconstitutional, and unwise.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) January 3, 2026
14.
Listen, Maduro is bad, but I don't think the American president bombing his country including civilian areas without congressional authorization and then snatching him and his wife and flying them out is a particularly good response.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) January 3, 2026
15.
About 64% of Venezuelans living abroad support a U.S. military intervention to depose strongman Nicolás Maduro, while those still in the country are more focused on surviving fast-rising food prices https://t.co/7Q4aIdMoos
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 2, 2026
Source: Twitter/X/PressSec