Trump tells Post that US troops won’t be in Venezuela if Maduro VP ‘does what we want’: ‘We have a second wave’
Trump made the clarification moments after a press conference where he said that “we are going to run the country” ahead of a democratic transition, introducing the prospect of a US occupation.
Asked by The Post if “US troops [will] be on the ground helping run the country,” Trump said: “No, if Maduro’s vice president — if the vice president does what we want, we won’t have to do that.”
“We’re prepared,” Trump added. “You know, we have a second wave that’s much bigger than the first wave.”
The president said that “we’ve spoken to her [Rodriguez] numerous times, and she understands, she understands.”
Rodriguez has been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim leader, Trump said at his press conference. In a televised address after the attack, Rodriguez called for “the immediate liberation” of Maduro and his wife Celia Flores, saying “President Nicolas Maduro” is the “only president of Venezuela.”
She left the door open to working with the White House, while seeking to calm internal divisions.
“Here, we have a government with clarity, and I repeat and repeat again … we are willing to have respectful relations,” she said, referring to the Trump administration. “It is the only thing we will accept for a type of relationship after having attacked [Venezuela].”
https://nypost.com/2026/01/03/us-news/trump-says-us-troops-wont-be-in-venezuela-if-nicolas-maduro-vp-delcy-rodriguez-does-what-we-want/