Hegseth Boasts U.S. Military Prowess during Maduro Kidnapping

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said a U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, demonstrated U.S. military prowess and reinforced global deterrence.

Speaking during President Donald J. Trump’s first cabinet meeting of 2026 at the White House, Hegseth said Operation Absolute Resolve, carried out on Jan. 3, involved U.S. forces seizing Maduro and Flores, who are facing criminal court proceedings in the United States on multiple federal charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.

Hegseth described the operation as a complex cross-border raid conducted without detection until explosions preceded helicopter insertions at a secure location. “No other military in the world … could have executed the most sophisticated, powerful raid, not just in American history, I would say in world history,” he said.

He linked the raid to a broader U.S. deterrence posture under President Trump, citing Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, which involved B-2 bomber missions against Iran. “When President [Donald J.] Trump said … Iran, you won't have a nuclear bomb, he meant it,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth also said the War Department is supporting border security and efforts to disrupt drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, adding that delivering on presidential statements strengthens deterrence. “That sends a message to every capital around the world that when President [Donald J.] Trump speaks, he means business,” he said.