US President Donald Trump declared on Monday that Venezuela will not conduct fresh elections within the next month, emphasising that the crisis-hit nation must first be stabilised following the dramatic capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro. In an interview with NBC News, Trump asserted that the United States is not at war with Venezuela, despite its deepening military and political involvement in the Latin American country's affairs.
Stabilisation Before Suffrage: The US Roadmap
Trump insisted that holding an immediate election in Venezuela is currently impossible. "We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote," the President stated. He framed the US role as one of rehabilitation, adding, "No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have to nurse the country back to health."
These remarks came just two days after a high-stakes operation where US armed forces seized Maduro and his wife in the capital Caracas. They were swiftly flown to New York for questioning on serious charges, including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. While Maduro entered a plea of not guilty and maintains he is still Venezuela's legitimate president, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the interim president on Monday.
Rebuilding Oil and a Warning of Force
Outlining a potential path for recovery, Trump indicated that the US could play a major role in reviving Venezuela's crippled oil and energy infrastructure. He suggested that American involvement could include subsidising oil companies tasked with the restoration. "I think we can do it in less time than that, but it'll be a lot of money," Trump noted, clarifying that "a tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue."
However, the President also issued a stern warning, stating the US is prepared to launch another military operation if cooperation with the new Venezuelan administration breaks down. "We’re prepared to do it. We anticipated doing it, actually," he said. Trump dismissed concerns about the lack of congressional authorisation for the initial invasion, claiming he has "good support congressionally" and does not need further approval for future actions.
"At War With Drugs," Not Venezuela
Trump was adamant in redefining the nature of the US intervention. When directly asked if America was at war with Venezuela, he responded, "No, we’re not." Instead, he positioned the conflict as part of a broader campaign. "We’re at war with people that sell drugs. We’re at war with people that empty their prisons into our country and empty their drug addicts and empty their mental institutions into our country," he explained.
To oversee the complex US involvement, Trump named a team of senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Expressing confidence in his domestic political base, the President concluded, "MAGA loves it. MAGA loves what I’m doing. MAGA loves everything I do."
