Rubio slams CBS host Margaret Brennan over Maduro capture question

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday criticized “confused” CBS anchor Margaret Brennan for questioning the scope of the operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

“I am curious since you simply described the regime as primarily nonetheless in place. I am curious why the Trump administration determined to go away it intact and solely arrest Nicolás Maduro and his spouse,” Brennan mentioned on Face the Nation on Sunday.

After itemizing among the indicted members of the regime, Brennan added, “I am confused. Are they nonetheless wished by the USA? Why did not you arrest them in the event you take out the narco-terrorist regime?’

RUBIO TO CUBA: ‘I WOULD BE CONCERNED’ AFTER US MILITARY ARRESTS OF VENEZELAN LEADER MADURO

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, was the visitor of CBS host Margaret Brennan, proper, on Sunday’s “Face the Nation.” (Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures (left); Chris Usher/CBS by way of Getty Pictures (proper))

Rubio fired again.

‘Are you confused? I do not know why that is complicated to you,” Rubio mentioned.

Brennan protested that they have been nonetheless in energy.

“Yeah, however you go in and suck in 5 individuals? They’re already complaining about this one operation. “Think about the howls we would get from everybody else if we needed to keep there for 4 days to catch 4 different individuals,” he mentioned.

“We got prime precedence. The primary individual on the record was the man who claimed to be the president of the nation he wasn’t, and he was arrested, alongside together with his spouse, who has additionally been charged. And that was a fairly refined and, frankly, difficult operation.”

“It was,” Brennan agreed.

US MILITARY DETAILS TIMELINE OF THE OPERATION TO Seize Maduro, Revealing Extra Than 150 Plane Concerned

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gestures subsequent to his spouse Cilia Flores as they depart the Capitolio, house of the Nationwide Meeting, after taking the oath of workplace in the course of the presidential inauguration in Caracas on January 10, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

Rubio went on to element the complexities of the operation: touchdown helicopters at “the most important” navy base on the planet, kicking in Maduro’s door, handcuffing him, studying him his rights and placing him in a helicopter to go away the nation with out shedding any American life or property.

“That is not a simple mission, and also you’re asking me why we did not do this in 5 different locations on the similar time? I imply, that is absurd,” he added.

Brennan later reiterated her level that different members of the regime are nonetheless within the nation.

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“I ask why you selected this to be the restrict of the navy operation,” she mentioned, prompting Rubio to repeat Maduro’s declare to be the nation’s chief.

The Trump administration efficiently captured Maduro and his spouse Cilia Flores in a restricted in a single day operation on Jan. 3 and took the 2 to U.S. custody, the place federal prosecutors filed legal fees towards them, officers mentioned.

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Fox Information’ Emma Bussey contributed to this report.