Mamdani Rages at Trump Over US Capture of Maduro
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday said he told President Donald Trump directly that he opposed the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Mamdani said he spoke with Trump by phone Saturday after being briefed on Maduro’s capture and his arrival in New York, where he is expected to face prosecution on narco-terrorism charges.
“I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act,” Mamdani said, “and to make clear that it was an opposition based on being opposed to a pursuit of regime change, to the violation of federal international law, and a desire to see that be consistent each and every day.”
Mamdani, speaking on his third day in office, was asked about the U.S. military strike in Venezuela during an unrelated news conference in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Mamdani did not disclose how Trump responded to his objections during their phone call, CBS News reported.
“I registered my opposition. I made it clear and we left it at that,” Mamdani said.
Earlier, he released a statement on the X platform regarding the capture:
“I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City. Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”
Democrats have attempted to frame the operation as an “attack” on Venezuela and that the U.S. is now “at war” with the South American country, neither of which is true. Trump made it clear it was primarily a law enforcement operation to capture a fugitive using the military’s assistance.
Trump said in an early morning Saturday announcement on social media that American federal law enforcement agents, in conjunction with the U.S. military, successfully captured Maduro in a stunning overnight operation.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
Attorney General Pam Bondi followed up the president’s announcement with one of her own.
“Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi wrote on X.
At least seven explosions could be heard in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas early Saturday morning, according to The Associated Press, and low-flying aircraft were seen flying over Caracas at about 2 a.m. local time.
The helicopters flying over Caracas were part of the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the “Night Stalkers.”
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers,” Bondi added.
