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Summary
Regional pressure
President Donald Trump labeled Colombian President Gustavo Petro a “sick man” and suggested he would approve a U.S. operation to dismantle the country’s cocaine production.
Arctic ambitions
Trump reaffirmed his desire to take control of Greenland for national security, citing a surge of Russian and Chinese ships in the region. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned the U.S. has “no right to annex” the territory.
Security conditions
The administration is setting specific triggers for future action, including the scale of violence against Iranian protesters and Mexico’s effectiveness against cartels. Trump noted that Cuba is “ready to fall” as its oil-driven economic lifeline from Venezuela has been severed.
Full story
Fresh off the capture of Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump indicated more interventions could be on the horizon. In a series of warnings from Air Force One, the president is signaling that the U.S. raid in Caracas may only be the beginning.
Trump suggested the United States could take action against several Western countries — including Colombia, Cuba, Greenland and Mexico — following a U.S. raid in Caracas that captured Maduro and brought him to New York to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges.
And on Monday, the State Department went even further with a post on X: “This is OUR Hemisphere,” the agency wrote, “and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened.”
Targets named: Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Iran and Greenland
On Sunday, while in Air Force One, Trump said Colombia is “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” referring to President Gustavo Petro, adding, “He’s not going to be doing it for very long.”
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Asked whether his administration would carry out an operation targeting Colombia, he replied, “It sounds good to me,” according to The New York Times. He also warned that drugs are “pouring” through Mexico, saying cartels there are “very strong” and noted he had offered U.S. assistance.
Trump also noted that Cuba’s economic stability leaned hard on Venezuelan oil shipments.
“They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil,” Trump reportedly said. “They’re not getting any of it. Cuba is literally ready to fall, and you have a lot of great Cuban Americans who are going to be happy about this.”
On Iran’s ongoing protests, he said, “If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.”
Trump again said the U.S. should take control of Greenland “from the standpoint of national security,” while describing the region as being overrun with Russian and Chinese ships.
Swift pushback from Latin America and Europe
The remarks followed questions about whether U.S. actions would extend beyond the Caracas operation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed Trump’s wording and emphasized Mexico’s sovereignty.
Petro posted that he is the “supreme commander of the military and police forces of Colombia by constitutional order.”
https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008063024343515623&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fsan.com%2Fcc%2Ftrump-floats-action-against-colombia-cuba-mexico-iran-and-greenland%2F&sessionId=2ffd0efdcf1372e520972d31eb5dd99f05ae23aa&siteScreenName=StraightArrow__&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=500px
Hoy veré si las palabras en inglés de Trump se traducen como dice la prensa nacional. Por tanto, más tarde las responderé hasta saber lo que significa realmente la amenaza ilegítima de Trump.
En cuanto al señor Rubio que desliga autoridades del presidente y dice que el…— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 5, 2026
Trump and Petro have clashed amid heightened U.S. pressure on regional drug trafficking. Trump’s comments on Mexico included that the U.S. may “have to do something,” while stressing he preferred Mexico handle the cartels. Sheinbaum said, “This is just President Trump’s manner of speaking,” and argued that Latin America’s history shows “intervention has never brought democracy.”
In Europe, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Trump to “stop the threats” and said the United States has “no right to annex” Greenland. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called the idea “utterly unacceptable.”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJensfrederiknielsendemokraatit%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02dQQ2UVmBMxxzuK76GX1N2yZdz2zMyLmsa9xoP1oo53VgHXjo6YokXS1Z1AeXUy8zl&show_text=true&width=500
What’s next
For now, Trump has not announced specific new operations against Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Iran or Greenland. But his comments set clear conditions for potential moves: whether Mexico escalates its fight against cartels, whether Iran escalates force against protesters and whether the administration broadens its pressure campaign after Maduro’s capture.
William is a producer at Straight Arrow News, located in Omaha, Nebraska.
Tags: China, Colombia, Donald Trump, Greenland, Mexico, Russia
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Why this story matters
President Donald Trump’s public threats of military intervention against Colombia, following the U.S. operation in Venezuela, have escalated regional tensions and drawn strong responses from Latin American leaders, raising questions about sovereignty, international law and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere.
U.S. foreign intervention
Trump’s statements about possible operations in Colombia and other countries have alarmed governments and international observers, highlighting concerns over the use of force and unilateral action in global affairs.
National sovereignty
Leaders in Colombia, Mexico, Denmark, and elsewhere cite U.S. threats as violations of sovereign rights, emphasizing the importance of respecting international law and the autonomy of elected governments.
Regional instability
The prospect of wider military interventions in Latin America and beyond has increased political tensions, with officials and experts warning of potential destabilization, civilian risks, and lasting impacts on diplomatic relationships.
Trump: US troops could secure Venezuelan oil
Benedict Smith
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 1:14 AM GMT+7
52 min read
Donald Trump warned that he could put “boots on the ground” in Venezuela under his plan to take over the country.
Speaking hours after American special forces captured Nicolas Maduro, the US president said he was prepared to deploy troops as part of a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power.
“We’re not afraid to put boots on the ground,” Mr Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday afternoon.
“We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”
The announcement will probably cause a backlash from some of the Mr Trump’s Maga base, many of whom are sceptical of foreign affairs that put American lives at risk.
Mr Trump added that the US will help oil companies set up in Venezuela to fix the country’s infrastructure “and start making money”.
Mr Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, 69, were captured in the early hours of Saturday by a US special forces unit, who flew directly into the dictator’s compound in the centre of Caracas.
Delcy Rodríguez, Mr Maduro’s vice-president, is now in power, Mr Trump said, but added that she had promised to do “anything” the US wants.
07:49pm
That’s all for now
Thanks for following our coverage of the US’ capture of Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader. This live blog is now closed.
07:23pm
Pictured: The military base where Maduro was captured
07:20pm
Venezuela’s vice president condemns ‘brutal’ US
Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s vice president, has called for the release of Nicolas Maduro and condemned the “brutal” tactics used to capture him, according to Sky News.
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She also called for calm and unity, and vowed Venezuela would “never be a colony of any nation”.
Mr Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are bound for New York on a US warship, having been charged with narco-terrorism.
Earlier on Saturday, Donald Trump, the US president, said Ms Rodriguez had been sworn in as Mr Maduro’s replacement and had spoken to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. She would “make Venezuela great again”, he added.
06:59pm
Maduro capture puts pressure on Iran, say experts
Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum, said that Donald Trump’s decision to take over Venezuela’s oil fields could be “very dangerous” for the Iranian regime, which is facing its biggest popular uprising since 2022.
Following the seizure of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, the US “now controls 50 per cent of the world’s oil reserves”, Mr Roman said, giving it the ability to keep oil prices low at around $50 a barrel.
This could have devastating effects on the Islamic Republic, devaluing its foreign currency reserves and constraining its ability to subsidise other day-today products with the profits of petroleum and crude oil sales.
With protests sweeping the country over the state of the economy, a drop in oil prices is likely to increase inflationary pressure on rial, which dropped to its lowest ever value against the dollar last month, triggering further instability.
“It’s incredibly significant,” Mr Roman said. “It makes it harder for Iran to subsidise products thereby giving people more reason to protest.”
06:53pm
Pictured: Trump follows capture of Maduro from Mar-a-Lago
Newly-published photos show Donald Trump remotely monitoring the raid to capture Nicolas Maduro from Mar-a-Lago.
The US president, who is seen without his customary tie in the early-morning operation, is seen seated at the head of a table watching the footage from Caracas.
Also present is Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, who in one photo appears to be pointing at a screen, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, and John Ratcliffe, the CIA director.
06:10pm
US troops hit by bullets and shrapnel
Several American troops “sustained bullet and shrapnel wounds” during the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, a source has told CNN. None of the injuries are said to be life-threatening.
06:00pm
Trump’s intelligence director stays quiet on Maduro capture
Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence has remained conspicuously silent so far on the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
Following this morning’s operation, old posts on X have resurfaced in which Tulsi Gabbard said the US “needs to stay out of Venezuela”.
“Let the Venezuelan people determine their future,” Ms Gabbard said in 2019, at a time when the US recognised Maduro’s opponent as the country’s interim leader. “We don’t want other countries to choose our leaders – so we have to stop trying to choose theirs.”
In the wake of today’s strikes, Ms Gabbard has so far refrained from joining cabinet colleagues in publicly endorsing Mr Trump’s decision.
Ms Gabbard has long advocated for anti-interventionist foreign policy, previously calling for US withdrawal from conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan and criticising “regime change wars”.
Her stance won the approval of many Maga supporters and ultimately led to her defection from the Democrats. Mr Trump’s decision to “run” Venezuela will likely rankle with those voters she brought with her.
05:38pm
Press conference over
Donald Trump has just walked out. The press conference is over.
05:35pm
Trump asked if US military will stay in Venezuela
Donald Trump is asked if the US military will maintain a presence in Venezuela.
“Well, no, we’re going to have presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil,” he says, pivoting to talk about how American companies will be “taking an enormous amount of wealth out of the ground”.
Mr Trump, asked about Vladimir Putin, says he is “not thrilled” with the Russian leader because “he’s killing too many people”.
05:32pm
Machado won’t become Venezuelan leader, says Trump
Maria Carino Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, is not respected enough to replace Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump says.
It would be “very tough for her to be the leader”, the president says, responding to a question from a journalist.
“She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”
05:30pm
Trump: We’ll talk about Cuba
Donald Trump says Cuba is “going to be something we’ll end up talking about”
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba,” he says, calling the country a “failing nation right now”.
05:24pm
Maduro ‘reached safe room but couldn’t shut door’
Nicolas Maduro made it to a safe room but was unable to close the door before he was seized by US special forces, Donald Trumps says.
“But he was trying to get to a safe place, which wasn’t safe, because we would have had the door blown up in about 47 seconds,” the president says.
“It was a very thick door, a very heavy door… he made it to the door, he was unable to close it.”
05:22pm
Trump issues warning to Colombian president
Gustavo Petro, the Colombian president, has to “watch his ass”, Donald Trump says.
“He’s making cocaine. They’re sending it into the United States. So he does have to watch his ass,” the US president tells media.
05:18pm
Trump: I’m not afraid to put boots on the ground
“We’re not afraid to put boots on the ground,” Donald Trump says, responding to a question from a reporter.
“We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”https://cf.eip.telegraph.co.uk/store/vid-media/67693f27/fallback/67693f27-mp4-fallback.mp4
Credit: Reuters
05:16pm
Rubio: Maduro was an ‘illegitimate president’
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, says Nicolas Maduro has been regarded as an “illegitimate president” by multiple administrations.
“He’s a fugitive of American justice with a $50 million reward,” he says of the Venezuelan leader, joking: “I guess we saved $50 million”.
Mr Rubio continues: “Nicholas Maduro had multiple opportunities to avoid this, he was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers and chose instead to act like a wild man.”
The secretary of state says Donald Trump “is not a game player” by “a president of action”.
“If he says he’s serious about something, he means it… this is something that was a direct threat to the national interest of the United States and the president addressed it,” he adds.
05:11pm
Caine: US helicopter hit during Maduro capture
More than 150 aircraft bombers, fighters and reconnaissance aircraft were used in the Venezuela raid, Gen Dan Caine continues, including F-35s and F-18s.
US forces dismantled and disabled air defences “to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters” which would be used to extract Nicolas Maduro.
The helicopters came under fire as they approached the Venezuelan leader’s compound around 2am local time (1am EST). One was hit but continued flying, Gen Caine says.
“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,” he continues.
05:07pm
‘Plan to seize Maduro was months in planning”
Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, says the plan to capture Mr Maduro was months in the planning.
“Our inter-agency work began months ago and built on decades of experience of integrating complex air, ground, space and maritime operations,” he says.
Gen Caine continues: “We watched, we waited, we prepared. We remained patient and professional. This mission was meticulously planned drawing lessons from decades of missions.”
He says US forces were ready to move in December after “months of work by our intelligence teammates to find Maduro and understand how he moved, where he lived, where he travelled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets”.
The military depended on intelligence provided by agencies including the CIA, NSA and NGA, he says.
05:03pm
‘Rubio shuffle’ reveals secretary of state’s excitement
Marco Rubio, Mr Trump’s secretary of state and national security adviser, looks like he cannot contain his excitement.
The son of Cuban immigrants, he has long been one of the strongest voices for intervention in the communist island’s close ally. As Mr Trump speaks to the cameras, he is shifting from one foot to the other, glancing one way and then the other from his position just behind the presidential shoulder. It is not exactly a dance move but he is by far the most animated of the president’s officials.
He looks like he is ready to get back to work.