Trump says US pilots were wounded during Maduro capture mission at Fort Bragg

President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that US helicopter pilots had been “hit fairly badly within the legs” through the high-risk mission that captured Venezuelan chief Nicolás Maduro – whilst he described the operation as “unimaginable” and “over in minutes”.

Throughout a speech at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the place he honored particular forces concerned in Operation Absolute Resolve in January, Trump introduced that three pilots had been injured once they landed below machine gun fireplace.

“They had been hit fairly badly within the legs,” Trump stated, describing the assault. He stated the pilots “landed a big helicopter and had been then shot at shut vary by a machine gun”, including that snipers “had been stationed” and rapidly neutralized the risk.

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Regardless of the accidents, Trump portrayed the raid as a surprising demonstration of American army dominance.

“That night time the entire world noticed what they name army – my American army – is able to,” he stated. “That was an unimaginable operation.”

President Donald Trump traveled to North Carolina on February 13 to satisfy with army members following Maduro’s seize of Venezuela in January. (Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Photographs)

Practically 200 American troops took half within the mission and 7 had been injured, based on U.S. officers. The Venezuelan Protection Ministry stated 83 folks had been killed on its aspect, together with Venezuelan safety forces and 32 Cuban personnel.

Trump visited Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to privately meet with the households of the operators concerned, whose identities stay secret, and to publicly reward what he has repeatedly referred to as a “spectacular” operation that demonstrated American power.

The president has additionally hinted at a secret weapon he calls the “discombobulator” used within the operation to disable Venezuelan communications and tools and disorient personnel.

“They’re even speaking in regards to the discombobulator as a result of they by no means fired a shot. The Russian tools did not work. The Chinese language tools did not work. Everybody’s attempting to determine why it did not work.”

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“We’ve an ideal group of individuals working for me, very pleased with you,” the president stated in an tackle to army personnel and households on the base. “I’ve no greater honor in life than to be your commander-in-chief.”

He additionally praised Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican Nationwide Committee (RNC), who’s working for Senate in North Carolina. “If he is available in, you are going to be taken care of. If he does not are available, we will be stripped down, like they at all times do, the Democrats.”

He additionally stated that if Democrats win management within the midterm elections, they’d change the title Fort Bragg again to Fort Liberty, as President Joe Biden did throughout his administration.

“We obtained it again in a short time, however they took it out. And if we do not win the midterm elections, they will take it out once more and take it out once more. You may’t let that occur.”

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, left, waits for President Donald Trump’s speech throughout a go to to the U.S. Military Base Fort Bragg on Feb. 13, 2026, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. (Nathan Howard/Getty Photographs)

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Trump continued: “If the Democrats become involved, we’ll merely be wronged too early. However we rebuilt it in my first time period, and now we’re making it stronger, greater and higher than ever earlier than. Recruitment is large.”

Trump was joined by first girl Melania Trump, who additionally frolicked with army households through the base go to – one of many largest dwelling stations for US army particular operations forces.

Trump’s social media posts forward of the go to highlighted what he referred to as “extraordinary” relations between the 2 international locations The interim management of america and Venezuelatogether with cooperation on oil revenues and transition planning.

After Maduro’s dramatic conquest, his vice chairman, Delcy Rodriguez, took over as Venezuela’s chief.

Rodríguez has publicly maintained that each Maduro and Cilia Flores are “harmless,” rejecting claims of wrongdoing that led to their arrest. Regardless of her alignment with Maduro, the US has insisted on exerting affect over her management.

President Donald Trump and first girl Melania Trump stroll after arriving on Marine One at Stansted Airport, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Stansted, England. (Evan Vucci/The Related Press)

On the finish of January, the US and Rodríguez’s interim authorities signed a significant vitality pact. The U.S. has already begun advertising and marketing Venezuelan crude, with proceeds flowing into U.S.-controlled accounts that may be paid out on the discretion of the U.S. authorities.

Practically 200 U.S. troops had been concerned within the Maduro operation, referred to as Operation Absolute Resolve. Seven had been injured.

The Venezuelan Protection Ministry stated 83 folks had been killed by itself aspect through the mission, together with Venezuelan safety forces and 32 Cuban safety personnel.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina, can be dwelling to items that might be deployed if diplomatic efforts within the Center East fail, together with Trump’s stress on Iran to succeed in a deal or cope with what he has warned might be a “very traumatic” final result. The go to comes simply because the US has deployed a second plane provider, the usFord, to the area as talks proceed.

The Pentagon didn’t reveal which army items had been concerned within the operation.

Imprisoned Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is escorted in New York Metropolis, January 5, 2026. (Adam Grey/Reuters)

President Donald Trump shared a photograph of captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro aboard the usIwo Jima following assaults on Venezuela, January 3, 2026. (Donald Trump through Fact Social)

Trump has repeatedly applauded the conquest of Maduro as a ‘spectacular’ operation that demonstrated the US’s capacity to take care of a dominant place in its personal yard. He referred to as the particular operators concerned a “group of extremely gifted patriotic individuals who love our nation. You could not cease them.”

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