Trump on Venezuela: elections postponed for 18 months, threat of new invasion.

According to ТСН: US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with NBC News that elections in Venezuela will not take place for at least the next 30 days. He emphasized that the country must first 'heal', and the recovery process may take up to 18 months and will require significant financial resources.

Trump stressed that these costs, according to preliminary estimates from Washington, could be covered by Venezuela's oil revenues. He also claimed that the US is not at war with Venezuela.

'No, we are not at war. We are fighting drug traffickers and people who empty their prisons and send drug addicts and mentally ill individuals into our country,' the US president said.

The head of the White House also reported that the Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, who effectively took over the country after the removal of Nicolas Maduro, is currently cooperating with the US government.

Trump noted that control over the processes in Venezuela will be managed by a team of high-ranking officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Gegset, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Vice President JD Vance.

Moreover, the US president did not rule out the possibility of another military operation in Venezuela if the new government in Caracas stops cooperating with Washington.

'We are ready for this. In fact, we planned it right away,' Trump said, responding to a question about a possible renewed invasion.

In his opinion, although such a scenario is unlikely, it could materialize if the Venezuelan leadership refuses to comply with US demands.

Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been detained and brought to the US, facing charges of drug terrorism, cocaine importation, illegal possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy against the US.

At this time, US authorities have not revealed information about Nicolas Maduro's whereabouts. According to Sky News, he is expected to appear in court very soon.

In November 2025, Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro had a phone conversation during which the American president made it clear that the Venezuelan leader has limited time to voluntarily step down from the presidency.

The situation in Venezuela remains tense, as the future of the country and stability in the region depends on new political decisions. Cooperation with the US and the possibility of military intervention highlight the complexity and multifaceted nature of this conflict, which is likely to remain in the spotlight of the international community in the coming months.