Trump Issues "Second Strike" Ultimatum as Standoff with Rodríguez Escalates

CARACAS/WASHINGTON D.C. – Following the January 3 extraction of Nicolás Maduro via Operation Absolute Resolve, President Donald Trump has issued a direct threat of a "second strike" against Venezuela, explicitly warning the remaining regime leadership that they will pay a "very big price" if they refuse to cooperate with U.S. transition plans.

The ultimatum creates an immediate flashpoint for renewed military action as early as today, January 5, placing the timeline for further kinetic engagement squarely in focus.

The President’s warning comes in direct response to the unexpected resilience of the Venezuelan command structure. Rather than capitulating after the initial raid—which utilized U.S. special operations forces and air support to seize the presidential palace—Venezuela’s Supreme Court and military swore in Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president on January 4. Rodríguez has since condemned the U.S. operation as a "barbaric kidnapping" and ordered the military to maintain defensive positions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly been in contact with Rodríguez to demand adherence to the U.S. plan, which calls for American oversight of the government and oil infrastructure. However, sources indicate negotiations have collapsed, prompting Trump’s specific threat of a secondary engagement.

For observers tracking the scope of U.S. intervention, the definition of this potential "second strike" is critical. The January 3 operation established a precedent of combining aerial precision strikes with ground assets. Trump’s new rhetoric implies a willingness to utilize heavy aerial ordinance—specifically drones, cruise missiles, or manned airstrikes—to dismantle the remaining pro-Rodríguez military infrastructure.

With Maduro currently facing federal charges in Manhattan, the window for a diplomatic off-ramp appears to be closing. As of Monday, U.S. assets remain in the region, and the administration has signaled that the current pause in combat operations is conditional. If the standoff with Rodríguez is not resolved immediately, the likelihood of a qualifying aerial strike occurring within the next 48 hours remains critically high.