Trump Unveils ‘Donroe Doctrine’ As US Moves To Reshape Venezuela’s Future

US President Donald Trump on Saturday framed the US military operation in Venezuela as the opening act of what he called the “Donroe Doctrine”, signalling a revival of American interventionism in the Western Hemisphere and declaring that US dominance in the region “will never be questioned again”.

Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro marked a decisive assertion of Washington’s authority in its traditional sphere of influence, aligning the action with his “America First” agenda.

“The action in Venezuela shows that American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Trump said, explicitly linking the operation to what he described as a modernised version of the Monroe Doctrine, an early 19th-century policy asserting US primacy in the Americas.

Trump has rebranded the doctrine as the “Donroe Doctrine”, combining his own name with that of President James Monroe, under whose administration the original policy was articulated.

Doctrine First, Leaders Second

Under Trump’s framing, Venezuela’s leadership question appeared secondary to the broader geopolitical signal. While confirming US forces had captured Maduro, Trump indicated Washington was prepared to work with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, describing her as “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again”.

“She said we’ll do whatever you (US) need,” Trump told reporters, referring to a conversation he said Rodríguez had with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

At the same time, Trump publicly dismissed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, saying she lacked the support to govern, dashing expectations of an immediate Opposition-led transition.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” Trump said, adding, “She doesn’t have the support or respect within the country.”

Uncertainty On The Ground

The remarks came as Venezuelans struggled to grasp the implications of Maduro’s capture. Streets in Caracas emptied, long queues formed outside supermarkets and fuel stations, and residents spoke of fear and confusion.

Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice ordered Rodríguez, next in the constitutional line of succession, to assume the role of interim president. However, no swearing-in ceremony was broadcast, and Rodríguez continued to be identified as vice president on state television.

In a televised address, Rodríguez rejected U.S. claims of cooperation, demanded Maduro’s immediate release, and denounced the American operation as a violation of international law.

“There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro,” she said.

Senior military officials struck a defiant tone. Defence Minister Gen. Vladimir Padrino López accused the United States of aggression, while Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged supporters to take to the streets to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty.

What The Donroe Doctrine Means

The original Monroe Doctrine, announced in 1823, declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonial expansion. In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt expanded it, asserting the US right to intervene in Latin American countries unable to maintain stability, a rationale later used to justify US interventions in Haiti, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

By invoking and rebranding the doctrine, Trump appeared to signal a return to a more assertive U.S. posture in Latin America, one that places strategic control and influence above democratic transitions.

Analysts say Venezuela could be the first test of this revived doctrine, with Washington prioritising stability, energy interests and regional dominance over ideological alignment.

Warning To The Region

Trump offered no indication that Venezuela would be the last case.

“We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind,” he said, a remark being interpreted as a warning to governments across Latin America.

What Happened In Venezuela

Early Saturday, multiple explosions rang out, and low-flying aircraft swept through Caracas. Maduro’s government accused the U.S. of hitting civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets. 

The assault lasted less than 30 minutes, and the explosions, at least seven blasts, sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report what they saw and heard.

Operation Absolute Resolve

The covert US military mission, Operation Absolute Resolve, that plucked Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro from power and removed him from the country, was the result of months of surveillance, rehearsals and interagency coordination.

Trump, taking to his Truth Social platform, announced US had carried out Operation Absolute Resolve, a covert mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, capping months of secret planning by US military and intelligence agencies.

US military leaders highlighted how months were spent by intelligence agencies tracking Maduro’s movements, routines and security details.

US special forces carried out an extensive, highly coordinated operation to capture Maduro, following repeated rehearsals on a full-scale replica of the presidential compound, including reinforced safe rooms.

The apprehension team after reaching Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. Eastern time, or 2:01 a.m. local time in Caracas secured the area and extracted Maduro and Flores with what officials described as speed and precision.

During the raid, at least seven explosions were reported across the Venezuelan capital.

Where Is Maduro?

Maduro and his wife, seized overnight from their home on a military base, were first taken aboard a US warship on their way to face prosecution for a Justice Department indictment accusing them of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.

A plane carrying the deposed leader landed around 4:30 p.m. Saturday at an airport in New York City’s northern suburbs.

After being escorted, flown by helicopter to Manhattan, where a convoy of law enforcement vehicles, including an armoured car, was waiting to whisk him to a nearby U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration office. A video posted on social media by a White House account showed Maduro, smiling, as he was escorted through that office by two DEA agents grasping his arms.

He was expected to be detained while awaiting trial at a federal jail in Brooklyn. U.S. officials didn’t immediately confirm Maduro was at the jail, but the same motorcade of vehicles that brought him to the DEA office from the heliport was seen arriving at the detention centre Saturday evening.

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