Trump Conditions U.S. Military Exit on Venezuelan Compliance; Floats 'Temporary' Governance

Trump Conditions U.S. Military Exit on Venezuelan Compliance; Floats 'Temporary' Governance

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared today that the presence of U.S. "troops on the ground" in Venezuela is contingent upon the cooperation of remaining regime officials, signaling that the Jan. 3 special operations raid could evolve into a sustained occupation if the transition of power is obstructed.

The President’s remarks—explicitly stating that the U.S. military footprint "depends on how they act"—serve as a direct ultimatum to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Following the U.S. seizure of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores over the weekend, Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president by the Venezuelan military and Supreme Court, setting the stage for a volatile dual-power standoff.

While the administration initially characterized Saturday's operation as a targeted law enforcement action against "narco-terrorism" rather than a declaration of war, Trump’s latest comments suggest a widening operational scope. In a press conference, the President stated the U.S. intends to "run the country" temporarily to ensure a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" and secure vital oil infrastructure. This rhetoric implies that while the initial insertion force was limited to special operations teams, the administration is actively weighing the introduction of a broader stabilizing force—potentially involving conventional troops—depending on the level of resistance from the "Cartel of the Suns" and loyalist military factions.

The geopolitical stakes have escalated rapidly. By framing the intervention as the dismantling of a criminal enterprise based on 2020 indictments, the White House is attempting to bypass the immediate necessity of a War Powers Resolution. However, Rodríguez has condemned the extraction of Maduro as a "kidnapping," and with Russia and China issuing formal condemnations, the diplomatic fallout is widening.

For regional observers, the President's conditional language indicates that the window for a rapid exit or a negotiated ceasefire is closing. If the Rodríguez faction attempts to maintain the status quo, the administration has effectively signaled that further kinetic engagements and the physical entry of additional U.S. forces are imminent.