U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 3rd (local time) that a U.S. military ship plans to transport Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, whom U.S. troops have captured, to New York.
In a phone interview with Fox News that day, when asked "Where is Maduro now?" Trump answered, "They (President Maduro and his spouse) are on a ship and heading to New York."
Trump introduced the ship carrying President Maduro as the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, operated by the U.S. Marine Corps. The reason for extraditing him to New York is that President Maduro has been indicted in federal court in New York on narco-terrorism charges.
Trump also said, "We took them out (of Venezuela) by helicopter. It must have been a good flight. They surely would have liked it, too."
Trump said several U.S. service members were injured in the operation but none were killed. "I don't think anyone (in the U.S. military) died. Some came under attack, but they returned in very good condition," he said, adding, "One helicopter came under heavy fire, but it also returned."
He said the location where U.S. forces captured President Maduro was like a heavily guarded fortress, and that the military initially planned to carry out the operation four days earlier but postponed it due to bad weather.
He also said he watched in real time as U.S. special forces swiftly captured President Maduro, describing it as "like watching a television show."
Regarding the direction of Venezuela's regime after President Maduro's ouster, he said, "We will be very much involved in it (Venezuela's future)." He added, "I want to give the people (of Venezuela) freedom," and "We will not let anyone else take the place from which he was ousted."
Meanwhile, Trump answered "I don't know" when asked about reports that President Maduro met with a Chinese delegation before the U.S. military raid.
Even so, he said, "I have a very good relationship with President Xi Jinping, and (Maduro's capture) will not be a problem," adding, "China will continue to secure oil (in Venezuela)."
China is the largest importer of Venezuelan crude, and the United States has recently seized oil tankers in waters near Venezuela to pressure President Maduro.
Trump is set to hold a news conference regarding the operation at 11 a.m. Eastern time at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.