President Donald Trump received a private note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a televised press conference on Jan. 9, which he then proceeded to read aloud.

Why did Trump attack Venezuela? His press conference made his true motivations shockingly clear. It was jaw dropping TV. Or it should have been.

Venezuela's capital city, Caracas, was shaken by a number of explosions this morning - with US President Donald Trump then announcing the capture of the country's leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Removing a leader and pledging to rebuild a country represents a major shift in Trump's America First vision, writes Anthony Zurcher.

JD Vance was absent from Trump's briefing on the capture of Maduro due to security concerns. The Venezuelan leader was taken into U.S. custody in a major operation.

Like other U.S. regime change efforts since the end of the Cold War, U.S. action in Venezuela is likely a self-isolating and self-defeating move. It signals a return of law of the jungle for which the U.S., and much of the rest of the world, will ultimately pay a heavy price.

Trump’s focus on foreign policy, either as a commander in chief presiding over airstrikes or as a “peacemaker” pushing for diplomatic deals, poses a potential political risk. His approval ratings have slipped as voters who hoped to see economic conditions brighten on his watch struggle to pay their bills.

Bringing down Maduro was about bringing the Western hemisphere back under the influence of the United States — and brushing back America’s nastiest enemies.

President Donald Trump says he’s dropping — for now — his push to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon.

Trump said following the strikes that the United States would be "making the decision" about who should lead Venezuela next.