Maduro capture leaves many ‘next-day’ questions unanswered by Trump administration

Published January 6, 2026 7:00am ET



President Donald Trump said the United States will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” of power could be arranged, but questions remain about what that could entail and how long that will take.

There are still unknowns about what such governance will include, such as whether Nicolas Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, who has since been sworn in as his successor, can be a willing partner to the Trump administration and enact the change the administration wants to see. She was initially defiant of the daring U.S. mission to capture the now-former dictator and his wife, but has since signaled more willingness to work with the United States.

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