On Saturday, General Dan Caine of the Joint Chiefs unveiled the intricate collaboration between the U.S. military and intelligence agencies that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” the mission saw the deployment of over 150 aircraft in a meticulously coordinated effort.
General Caine described the operation as commencing “in the darkest hours of January 2nd,” marking the peak of extensive planning and rehearsals. He emphasized that such an intricate mission, only feasible by the U.S. military, required unparalleled precision and cooperation within the joint forces.
“The mission demanded a level of integration far beyond what the term typically conveys,” Caine stated while standing alongside President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. “It entailed more than 150 aircraft synchronizing across the Western Hemisphere, converging in time and space to execute a precise extraction in downtown Caracas, all while maintaining the critical element of surprise.”
Despite challenging weather conditions, General Caine noted that a small window opened up, allowing only the world’s most skilled aviators to navigate the complex terrain of ocean, mountains, and low clouds. “At 10:46 p.m. Eastern Time last night, the President gave the go-ahead,” Caine recounted. “He wished us ‘Good luck and Godspeed,’ and those words resonated through the entire joint force.”
As President Trump listened intently, Caine shared that throughout the night, aircraft launched from 20 bases across land and sea in the Western Hemisphere. The mission involved crew members ranging in age from 20 to 49, showcasing the diverse and dedicated team behind the operation.
“And those words were transmitted to the entire joint force. Over the course of the night, aircraft began launching from 20 different bases on land and sea across the Western Hemisphere,” Caine added, noting that, “Our youngest crew member was 20 and our oldest crew member was 49.”
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the intelligence agencies, including the CIA, National Secruity Agency (NSA) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) assisted in the effort.
“As the night began, the helicopters took off with the extraction force, which included law enforcement officers, and began their flight into Venezuela at 100 feet above the water,” Caine said. “As they approached Venezuelan shores, the United States began layering different effects provided by Spacecom, Cybercom and other members of the interagency to create a pathway.”
President Donald Trump shared a photo of captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima after strikes on Venezuela, on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Truth Social/ @realDonaldTrump)
“Overhead, those forces were protected by aircraft from the United States Marines, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the Air National Guard. The force included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, EA-18s, E-2s, B-1 bombers, and other support aircraft, as well as numerous remotely piloted drones,” he continued.
“As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area,” according to Caine.
“We arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 2:01 a.m. Caracas local time, and the apprehension force descended into Maduro’s compound and moved with speed, precision and discipline towards their objective and isolated the area to ensure the safety and security of the ground force, while apprehending the indicted persons,” Caine said.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla., following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. (Alex Brandon/AP)
“On arrival into the target area, the helicopters came under fire, and they replied with that fire with overwhelming force and self-defense. One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable. And as the president said earlier today, all of our aircraft came home and that aircraft remained flyable during the rest of the mission,” he added.
Maduro and his wife then “gave up” and were taken into custody by the Justice Department, with no loss of life to U.S. forces, Caine told reporters.
“After securing the indicted persons, the force began to prep for departure. Helicopters were called in to exfiltrate the extraction force, while fighter aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft provided overhead coverage and suppressive fire. There were multiple self-defense engagements as the force began to withdraw out of Venezuela,” he added.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro addresses members of the armed forces, Bolivarian Militia, police and civilians during a rally against a possible escalation of U.S. actions toward the country, at Fort Tiuna military base in Caracas, Venezuela, on Nov. 25, 2025. (Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters)
“The force successfully exfiltrated and returned to their afloat launch bases, and the force was over the water at 3:29 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, with indicted persons on board, and both Maduro and his wife were embarked aboard the USS Iwo Jima,” Caine concluded.
