The New York Times reported Saturday that “at least 40 people were killed” during U.S. military strikes in Venezuela carried out as part of President Donald Trump’s operation to capture Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, a claim that has not been independently confirmed by other major media outlets.
The report, published by the Times, cited journalist Mariana Martinez, who wrote that both “military personnel and civilians” were killed in the early morning attack Saturday. The information was attributed to a “senior Venezuelan official who spoke on condition of anonymity.” Martinez noted that the death toll was based on “preliminary reports,” underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the figures.
As of roughly 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, no other major news organizations had confirmed that at least 40 people were killed in the strikes. Despite the conflicting accounts, the operation itself marked a dramatic escalation in U.S. action against the Maduro regime and culminated in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, who were flown to the United States.
Maduro was subsequently charged in federal court in New York with narco-terrorism conspiracy, weapons offenses and cocaine-importation conspiracy. According to the indictment, Maduro and three co-defendants trafficked “thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States,” using the power of the Venezuelan state to facilitate and protect large-scale drug trafficking operations.
The indictment described Maduro as the “illegitimate ruler of the country” who presided over a corrupt government that for decades leveraged state power to promote illegal activity. Prosecutors said the drug trade enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite while fueling instability across the region.
Earlier Saturday, Trump told reporters that the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela following Maduro’s capture. The president also said the U.S. would “get the oil flowing the way it should be,” arguing that America had “built that whole industry there” and could restore it after years of collapse under Maduro’s rule.
Trump later posted an image on Truth Social showing Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima following his arrest. The photo, which depicted Maduro in a gray Nike sweatsuit, briefly caused technical issues on the president’s social media platform due to heavy traffic.
Reaction to the operation has crossed partisan lines. The Washington Post characterized Maduro’s capture as a “major victory for American interests,” reflecting a rare moment of praise for Trump’s foreign policy from a traditionally critical outlet.
Several Democrats also acknowledged the significance of the operation. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote on X that Maduro’s arrest was “welcome news” for those who fled his rule. She described him as a “brutal, illegitimate ruler” whose governance was violent, lawless and disastrous for the Venezuelan people.
Other Democrats echoed the sentiment that Maduro’s removal was a positive development, while simultaneously criticizing Trump for not notifying Congress ahead of the operation. The president responded by saying he could not give lawmakers advance notice because they have a “tendency to leak,” a concern he has cited before when defending unilateral action.
As questions swirl over the reported death toll and the scope of the U.S. strikes, the capture of Maduro has already reshaped the political landscape surrounding Venezuela. While the New York Times’ claim of at least 40 deaths remains unverified, the operation itself has been hailed by supporters as a decisive blow against a regime long accused of corruption, repression and narco-terrorism, even as critics continue to press Trump over transparency and congressional oversight.
[READ MORE: Trump Says U.S. Will Temporarily “Run” Venezuela After Maduro’s Capture to Ensure Orderly Transition]
