U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised a large-scale military operation carried out in Venezuela, describing it as highly complex and signalling plans to accelerate U.S. weapons production in its aftermath.
Speaking to the House Republican Conference at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Trump said the operation involved extensive air and ground coordination, including 152 aircraft.
“It was so complex, 152 airplanes,” Trump said. “Many people talk about boots on the ground. We had a lot of boots on the ground.”
Trump claimed no American troops were killed during the operation, while acknowledging casualties on the opposing side. He said power supplies across most of Venezuela were cut at the outset of the mission.
“That’s when they knew there was a problem. There was no electricity,” he said, adding that only candlelight remained in some areas.
The U.S. president stressed what he described as the superiority of American military capabilities, arguing that no other country could have carried out a similar operation.
“Nobody has our weapons. Nobody has the quality of our weapons,” Trump said.
However, he argued that U.S. defence manufacturing has failed to keep pace with operational demands, vowing to push weapons producers to speed up output.
“We’re going to start producing them much faster,” Trump said. “We’re going to be very tough on the companies. We’re not letting that happen anymore.”
Trump also commented on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying U.S. authorities had pursued him for years. He accused Maduro of widespread violence and human rights abuses, claims long denied by Caracas.
Washington confirmed that U.S. forces carried out Operation Absolute Resolve on Saturday, during which Maduro was detained and transferred to U.S. custody. The operation included air strikes on air defence and communications infrastructure in northern Venezuela, as well as a special operations raid in Caracas targeting Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The Trump administration has framed the operation as part of a renewed application of the Monroe Doctrine, citing efforts to combat alleged narcotics trafficking and corruption. U.S. officials have also openly linked the intervention to safeguarding American strategic and economic interests, including access to Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 28 January, covering the latest developments you need to know....
U.S. forces will hold multi-day air exercises in the Middle East as Washington increases its military presence amid strained ties with Iran....
Police arrested a man who sprayed Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar with a foul-smelling liquid in Minneapolis on Tuesday as she condemned the...
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with his Syrian counterpart Ahmad al-Sharaa in Moscow on Wednesday (28 January) to discuss the "transi...
A Russian drone strike on a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine killed five people, prosecutors said on Tuesday, an attack denounced as terrorism ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 28 January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Storm Chandra brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as strong winds and heavy rain swept across the island.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
The European Parliament has delayed until next week a decision on whether to resume work on the EU–U.S. trade deal.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has climbed to 6,126, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, often viewed as a bellwether for the complex diplomatic currents between the Kremlin and the West, has issued a startling prediction regarding the endgame of the war in Ukraine.
The strategic axis between Israel and Azerbaijan has been significantly reinforced this week as President Ilham Aliyev received Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Baku.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Europe is "incapable" of defending itself alone without the United States, dismissing calls for a separate European defence force and stressing that transatlantic cooperation remains essential for the continent’s security.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 28 January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Police arrested a man who sprayed Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar with a foul-smelling liquid in Minneapolis on Tuesday as she condemned the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Minnesota.
A Russian drone strike on a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine killed five people, prosecutors said on Tuesday, an attack denounced as terrorism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Three Dutch parties have agreed to form a minority coalition that will install D66 leader Rob Jetten as the country’s youngest prime minister.
Storm Chandra brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as strong winds and heavy rain swept across the island.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment