‘We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela,’ the U.S. president said.
President Donald Trump, alongside (L–R) Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press following U.S. military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 3, 2026. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump said on Jan. 3 that the United States will run Venezuela until a peaceful transition of power is completed, following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. military forces this morning.
“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. So we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in,” Trump said in a press conference.
Emel Akan
Reporter
Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
