Donald Trump issued a warning to Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president. He asserted that she would pay a very high price if she did not cooperate with the United States following the capture and imprisonment of Nicolás Maduro.
The call comes after Rodríguez’s nomination as Maduro’s successor. The former president was captured by US military forces on drug trafficking charges. He will now face US justice in New York.
Trump issues warning to Delcy Rodríguez, interim president of Venezuela
In a brief phone interview with The Atlantic, Trump made clear that Washington expects swift alignment with U.S. objectives after what his administration has described as a decisive and historic operation.
“If she doesn’t do the right thing, she’s going to pay a very high price, probably higher than Maduro,” said Donald Trump to Delcy Rodríguez.
U.S. forces carried out a large-scale military operation in the early hours of Saturday, striking strategic military targets across Caracas. Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and removed from the country to face criminal charges in New York. The White House has framed the operation as a necessary step to restore stability and security in the Western Hemisphere.
Rodríguez, interim president
Trump’s warning came shortly after Venezuela’s Supreme Court and senior military commanders confirmed Rodríguez as interim president. She adopted a defiant tone following the U.S. incursion, insisting that Maduro remained the country’s legitimate leader — a position Washington has firmly rejected.
The Trump administration has signaled that it is prepared to work with Venezuela’s current authorities, provided they meet clear conditions. Among Washington’s priorities are political cooperation, security guarantees and opening Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to U.S. investment. Officials argue that American capital and expertise are essential to reviving an energy sector that has collapsed after years of mismanagement and corruption.
Although Trump has long criticized reckless U.S.-led regime change abroad, he has drawn a sharp distinction in the case of Venezuela. Speaking to The Atlantic, he said the United States would now “run” the country during a transition period, arguing that any form of reconstruction or political overhaul would be preferable to the current state of affairs.
“The country has gone to hell,” Donald Trump said, describing Venezuela, governed by Delcy Rodríguez, as a failed state and a disaster on every level. His comments reflect the administration’s broader narrative: that decisive American leadership was required after years of international inaction allowed Venezuela’s crisis to deepen.
For Trump and his supporters, the operation represents a turning point. Not only the removal of a leader accused of criminal activity, but a chance to rebuild Venezuela under a new order.
