Following the unprecedented U.S. attack Saturday morning on Venezuela and subsequent capture of its president, President Donald Trump joked that he and other administration officials deserved the $50 million reward that his own Justice Department offered for information leading to the Venezuelan president’s arrest.
“He is a fugitive of American justice with a $50 million reward, which I guess we saved $50 million,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a press conference in Florida, speaking of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.
‘Make sure,” Trump added, standing alongside Rubio. “Don’t let anybody claim it! Nobody deserves it but us!”
The attack was announced by Trump early Saturday morning, with videos quickly emerging on social media of large-scale strikes raining down on Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas. Maduro was subsequently captured and is currently being transported to New York where he’s expected to face trial on drug-trafficking charges.
The DOJ increased its reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture from $15 million to $25 million in January of 2025, and up to $50 million in July.
At that same press conference, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump made the stunning announcement that the United States would run Venezuela until a transfer of power could be facilitated, and said that he remained open to deploying American troops to the South American nation.Trump says he partially deserves the $50 million reward for Nicholas Maduro's capture.
"Don't let anybody claim it, nobody deserves it but us." pic.twitter.com/iAexEFNjgd
— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) January 3, 2026