Maduro-backed TdA gang’s expansion into US cities emerges as key focus of sweeping DOJ indictment

The U.S. military carried out a "large-scale strike" on Venezuela Saturday morning, capturing the nation's dictatorial leader, Nicolás Maduro, who will face sweeping criminal charges on U.S. soil, according to an unsealed indictment released by Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

Maduro, who was elected in 2013 and served as Hugo Chavez's vice president, is facing charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.

"It's just it was an amazing thing, the amazing job that these people did. There's nobody else could have done anything like it," Trump said of the operation.

REPUBLICANS LINE UP BEHIND TRUMP AFTER US STRIKES VENEZUELA, MADURO ARRESTED: 'CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY'

The unsealed indictment focuses on how Maduro allegedly enriched himself and "political elites" by reportedly partnering with vicious gangs and drug cartels that have established syndicates across the Western Hemisphere, including in the U.S., such as New York. The indictment lists six individuals as defendants, including Maduro, his wife, his son and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of a vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. 

The indictment alleges that Maduro "sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking."

President Donald Trump has railed against drug cartels for spreading deadly narcotics such as fentanyl in U.S. communities, leading to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths since 2000. Trump has directed his ire at gangs such as Tren de Aragua, which Trump designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year. 

The indictment accuses Maduro and his co-conspirators — including Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and former Interior Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín — of partnering with narco-terrorists, including the Tren de Aragua gang and its leader, to distribute cocaine since at least 1999.

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"In sum, MADURO MOROS and his co-conspirators have, for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States," the indictment states. 

The indictment alleges that Maduro "participates in, perpetuates, and protects a culture of corruption in which powerful Venezuelan elites enrich themselves through drug trafficking and the protection of their partner drug traffickers." The indictment describes that defendants worked in coordination with cartels and gangs such as Mexico's the Zetas, Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Colombian group ELN, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army, and Tren de Aragua. 

"TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States, including New York," the indictment said. "TdA's criminal activities include human smuggling and other illicit acts. TdA has developed additional revenue sources through a range of other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization's criminal activities."

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Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro of working with cartels, while underscoring how the foreign gangs have infiltrated the U.S. and spread violence and addiction. 

"TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolás Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking," Trump wrote in a March 2025 presidential proclamation. 

He doubled down in his press conference on Saturday, warning that "all political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them."

Venezuela has argued that Tren de Aragua is no longer an active cartel and was effectively wiped out in 2023, Reuters previously reported. 

Maduro and 14 other current and former Venezuelan officials were previously charged by U.S. federal prosecutors in 2020 on narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking allegations. The January 2025 indictment expands on the 2020 document, including adding Maduro's son and wife as defendants. 

The Venezuelan government said in a statement following the Saturday strike that "the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira" were impacted by the attack.

The nation accused the U.S. of committing a "very serious military aggression" against Venezuela and carrying out "imperialist aggression."

"The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation's political independence by force," the Government of Venezuela said in a statement. "They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny."

Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to a U.S. military ship. The couple will be transported to New York City, where the dictator is expected to stand trial. 

"Yes, the Iwo Jima," Trump said on Saturday morning on Fox News. "They'll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I'm sure they loved it, but they've killed a lot of people."

The president said he watched the operation from Mar-a-Lago, where he spent the Christmas holiday, and praised the military for its efforts.

Democrats have taken issue with a lack of notice to Congress over the strike, while MAGA Republicans have rallied around Trump's decision. 

Trump held a press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, where he said the U.S. will "run" Venezuela until there is a safe transition of power. 

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. So we don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. And it has to be judicious because that's what we're all about. We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela," he said.

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The capture and strike follows the U.S. military carrying out dozens of strikes on suspected narco-boats since September. Trump campaigned in-part on ending the flow of deadly narcotics such as fentanyl from other nations – which has lead to surges in overdose deaths across the last two decades – including leveling tariffs on China to curb the flow of such drugs and strengthening the U.S. borders. 

Democrats have slammed the Trump administration over its strikes on the suspected narco-boats, with Trump defending that the U.S. is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels after the groups evolved into transnational terror organizations. Officials previously argued the strikes were necessary to curb the flow of opioid deaths in the U.S., while experts said the pressure campaign on Venezuela is likely aimed to also oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation.

"We've knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by sea … each boat kills 25, on average, 25,000 people. We knocked out 97%. And those drugs mostly come from a place called Venezuela," Trump said on Saturday of the boat strikes. 

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Foreign adversaries condemned the U.S. over the strike, including the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which reported Saturday that the country is "deeply shocked and strongly condemns the use of force by the U.S. against a sovereign country and the use of force against the president of a country." 

Russia, which is a crucial ally to Venezuela, also condemned the strike and capture in public statements. 

"This morning, the United States committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply concerning and condemnable," the Russia Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. "The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability."

Bondi warned on X that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts."

"On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers," Bondi wrote. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report. 

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Notre Dame head coach goes ballistic, rushes after official in wild scene following controversial loss

A wild scene unfolded following a 72-71 loss by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as head coach Micah Shrewsberry and sophomore guard Cole Certa appeared to charge after an official at the end of the game.

Fighting Irish players and coaches had to hold them back, as the broadcast picked up on the moment and speculated on what led to the frustration.

"It looked like he was going after one of the officials. My guess? His frustration on the and-one, four-play by Dai Dai Ames," the broadcaster commented.

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This game came down to the final seconds, as Certa’s layup made it a 67-63 lead, but the Cal Golden Bears responded quickly to cut the lead to two points.

The game ultimately came down to a crucial possession for the Golden Bears, where Ames shot a three-pointer, and as he made it, a foul was called — a massive mistake that allowed a free throw for Cal to take the lead.

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Officials initially reversed the call, but upon review, the reversal was then reversed, allowing Ames to head to the free throw line.

Notre Dame had the final shot of the game, but it fell short and the Golden Bears came back to victory.

In the heat of the moment, though, Certa was clearly walking after one of the officials, but Shrewsberry came barreling in as the official turned around to see the commotion. The official walked off the court without getting involved in the confrontation.

Certa is in an expanded role in his second season in South Bend, playing 20.3 minutes per game compared to 8.1 last season. He’s averaging nine points and 1.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.9% from the field.

Shrewsberry has been coaching the Fighting Irish since the 2023-24 season, owning a career 38-43 record over parts of three seasons. He has yet to lead them to a NCAA Tournament bid. 

The Fighting Irish are 10-5 on the season, including 1-1 in conference play. 

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Trump vows US will 'run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition of power

President Donald Trump said the United States is "going to run the country" in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place.

Trump framed the role as temporary but necessary, saying the U.S. does not want to allow "somebody else get in" before conditions are stable. He said the goal is peace, liberty and justice for Venezuelans, including those who have fled to the United States and hope to return home.

"We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said. 

He also warned the U.S. is prepared to escalate further if needed, saying, "We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack," and that American forces remain in position. "We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place," Trump said.

Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. 

LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO

Trump said the U.S. plans to directly manage Venezuela alongside partners while rebuilding the country’s oil sector. "We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly," Trump said. "We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly… and we’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be." He said the U.S. would ensure Venezuelans are "taken care of," including those "forced out of Venezuela by this thug."

Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. "They always say boots on the ground — so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to," he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved "at a very high level" during the operation. 

Trump repeated that the U.S. intends to stay and retain control, saying, "We’re there now. We’re ready to go again if we have to. We’re going to run the country… very judiciously, very fairly." He added that the U.S. was prepared to launch another attack if necessary and accused Venezuela’s former leadership of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, saying, "We’re late, but we did something about it."

Asked whether the U.S. would back opposition leader María Corina Machado or work with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in vice president, Trump signaled flexibility. He noted the vice president had been "picked by Maduro," but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. "She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great," Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team.

Trump continued, "She was quite gracious, but she really doesn't have a choice. We're going to have this done right. We're not going to just do this when they leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back. We'll run it properly. We'll run it professionally. We'll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money. Use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela."

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Trump was asked by another reporter, "Why is running a country in South America ‘America first’?"

Trump replied: "We want to surround ourselves with good neighbors. We want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It's very important that we protect it."

U.S. efforts to run or oversee political transitions in foreign countries have frequently encountered setbacks in recent years, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela.

The last time the U.S. intervened militarily to remove a leader in Latin America was Panama in 1989, when American forces ousted dictator Manuel Noriega. While the operation succeeded quickly, it was followed by long-term challenges in stabilizing governance.

While the invasion quickly removed Manuel Noriega, it resulted in significant civilian harm. Estimates of civilian deaths vary widely, and entire neighborhoods — most notably El Chorrillo in Panama City — were heavily damaged, leaving thousands homeless. This complicated post-invasion stabilization and fueled lingering resentment among parts of the population.

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But after years of soaring hyperinflation that wiped out savings, hollowed out wages and fueled mass migration, some U.S. officials — and many Venezuelans — believe virtually anyone who comes to power would be better than Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelans inside the country and those who fled to the United States were seen celebrating in the streets during moments of heightened U.S. pressure, according to videos that circulated widely on social media.

Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and his running mate Machado have positioned themselves as the alternative to President Nicolás Maduro, insisting they won last year’s presidential election despite the government’s declaration of Maduro as the victor.

Machado, who was barred from holding office by the Maduro-appointed high court, threw her support behind González as a unity candidate, while the opposition and several international observers rejected the official results as fraudulent.

González has since left Venezuela amid pressure from the Maduro government, while Machado's present whereabouts is unknown, urging continued domestic and international pressure to force a political transition.

After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s "legitimate president" and commander-in-chief, while declaring the opposition is prepared to "assert our mandate and take power." In a defiant statement, she said "the hour of freedom has arrived," argued President Nicolás Maduro now faces international justice, and urged Venezuelans at home and abroad to mobilize as what she described as the final phase of a democratic transition.

Asked about the U.S.'s track record of ousting dictators, Trump replied: "That's when we had different presidents ... That's not with me. We've had a perfect track record of winning. We win a lot and we win. If you look at Soleimani, you look at al-Baghdadi, you look at the Midnight Hammer, Midnight Hammer was incredible ... So, with me, you've had a lot of a lot of victory. You've had only victories, you've had no losses yet."

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Maduro gave car interview about possible Trump olive branch days before he was captured by US

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro participated in a car interview just days before he was captured by U.S. forces. 

During the interview, Maduro said that his government is open to negotiating an agreement targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

The pre-taped interview was staged with Maduro seated behind the wheel of a car and driving with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet in the passenger seat while they discussed a potential deal. 

In the clip that aired on state TV, Maduro said Venezuela is "ready" to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to "start talking seriously, with data in hand."

REPUBLICANS LINE UP BEHIND TRUMP AFTER US STRIKES VENEZUELA, MADURO ARRESTED: 'CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY'

"The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready," he said. "If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it."

President Donald Trump confirmed early Saturday morning that the U.S. had carried out strikes in Caracas and captured both Maduro and his wife.

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country," the president wrote on Truth Social.

US LAUNCHES ‘LARGE-SCALE STRIKE’ IN VENEZUELA, FLIES LEADER AND WIFE OUT OF COUNTRY

Trump later joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" to discuss the operation, which he said he watched from Mar-a-Lago. The president also confirmed that Maduro and his wife were transported to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima via helicopter.

Fox News host Griff Jenkins asked Trump, "Before we let you go, though, can you tell us where Maduro and his wife are right this second?"

"Well, they'll be heading to New York," Trump said. Griffin interjected, "Were they taken to a ship first?"

"Yes, the Iwo Jima," Trump said. "They'll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I'm sure they loved it, but they've killed a lot of people."

"Even people in their own country. They killed a lot of people to maintain power. He's a very vicious person."

Fox News learned on Saturday that Maduro could appear in federal court in New York as soon as Monday.

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Chili's trolls fast-food giants as value meals face backlash from price-weary consumers

Chili's took aim at fast-food giants this week, mocking so-called "value meals" as Americans show signs of cutting back.

The casual dining chain made the callout in response to an X post about rising prices on Dec. 29.

"McDonald's says customers are 'pulling back,'" an X user wrote. "Same with Wendy's. Same with Burger King."

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The commenter added, "When fast food loses traffic, it's a stress signal. People are tapped out."

The tweet was a reference to comments by McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski that low-income diners are tightening their spending, though the chain has been steadily growing internationally.

"We continue to see a bifurcated consumer base," Kempczinski told investors during a company earnings call this year.

"Traffic from lower-income consumers declined nearly double digits in the third quarter — a trend that's persisted for nearly two years."

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In response to the X user's observation, Chili's criticized fast-food chains for offering "value meals" that don't deliver on their promises.

"It's finally clocking to y'all that there's no value in 'value meals,'" Chili's posted, adding the hashtag #mcscammed.

"Reminder that you can get a burger with fries, bottomless chips and salsa and a drink for $10.99 at Chili's," the tweet added.

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The declaration — and the promise of a full meal for less than $11 — intrigued X users.

"I've never been to a Chili's. This is very appealing, though," one person wrote.

"And a margarita of the month for $6," another added. "This has become a tradition [for] my mom and [me]. Once a month, we splurge!"

A Chili's spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the restaurant chain "offers everyday value against fast-food pricing."

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Fox News Digital also reached out to McDonald's for comment.

The social media spat came as price-weary consumers continue to battle rising costs at grocery stores and restaurants alike.

This August, Hamburger Helper's year-over-year sales rose 14.5% due to consumers gravitating toward the tried-and-true budget meal.

On social media, "leftover hacks" have proved popular amid high food prices this holiday season.

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San Francisco mayor quietly signs reparations fund that could lead to $5M payments per person

The mayor of San Francisco signed an ordinance that creates a "Reparations Fund" that could one day grant each of the city's eligible Black residents up to $5 million in reparations for alleged historic discrimination and displacement.

The ordinance, which was passed by the Board of Supervisors earlier this month, was signed by Democrat Mayor Daniel Lurie two days before Christmas. It establishes the legal framework for the fund but does not allocate funds or guarantee payments. The fund can be financed with private donations, foundations and other non-city sources. 

Any taxpayer-funded reparations payouts would require separate legislation, an identified funding source and mayoral approval. Lurie told Fox News Digital that no taxpayer money would be paid into the potential pot, given the city's $1 billion budget deficit.  

"I was elected to drive San Francisco’s recovery, and that’s what I’m focused on every day," Lurie said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We are not allocating money to this fund — with a historic $1 billion budget deficit, we are going to spend our money on making the city safer and cleaner."

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"The Reparations Plan outlines a variety of methods to provide restitution, compensation and rehabilitation to individuals who are Black and/or descendants of a chattel enslaved person and have experienced a proven harm in San Francisco," the ordinance reads, in part.

The ordinance specifically cites a 2023 policy report and recommendation document produced by the San Francisco African American Reparations Advisory Committee (AARAC), a city-appointed advisory committee.

The report, which is nonbinding, studied harms to Black residents and proposed remedies, including a recommendation of a $5 million payment. Around 46,000 Black residents live in San Francisco, according to U.S. Census data.

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It argued that Black San Franciscans are victims of decades of city-driven "residential displacement" and "racial discrimination," particularly during the urban renewal era — the period from the mid-1940s through the 1970s.

"The City and County of San Francisco and its agencies should issue a formal apology for past harms and commit to making substantial ongoing, systemic and programmatic investments in Black communities to address historical harms," the report states in its executive summary.

It proposed that the city "[p]rovide a one-time, lump sum payment of $5 million to each eligible person."

The report also recommended a guaranteed annual income tied to area median income and the creation of new city agencies, including an Office of Reparations, to administer programs. It also called for major housing interventions, such as rental assistance, homeownership support and city-backed funds to purchase property along Black business corridors, as well as multi-million-dollar investments in Black-owned businesses.

The California Legislature has attempted to pass specific reparations bills but has so far failed to do so. Several proposals stalled or were rejected after the state’s Reparations Task Force, which was set up in 2020 to study and recommend reparations proposals.

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US men's soccer star Christian Pulisic reacts to Sydney Sweeney romance rumors

Christian Pulisic is not dating Sydney Sweeney, and he wants everyone to know.

The United States Men's National Team superstar has been rumored to be dating the famed actress, but he put those rumors to bed earlier this week.

"Please stop with the made-up stories about my personal life. Need to hold sources accountable it can affect people’s lives," Pulisic wrote on his Instagram story earlier this week.

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In another post that highlighted Pulisic's accomplishments, one of which was his reported fling with Sweeney, Pulisic wrote, "Fake news guys let’s stop with the silly rumor."

Sweeney, 28, is just one year and six days older than the 27-year-old Pulisic, who was born in 1998 — both were born in mid-September.

But Pulisic has been dating golfer Alexa Melton since at least the summer of 2024. Melton played college golf at USC and competed in the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open. She has mostly competed on the women’s Epson Tour but not since 2024.

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Sweeney, meanwhile, has been linked to music manager Scooter Braun, who has worked with Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

Pulisic will suit up for the Stars and Stripes this summer at the 2026 World Cup, which will be played throughout North America. The final will take place July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home of the New York Giants and Jets.

It will be Pulisic’s second appearance in the World Cup, having also played in 2022 in Qatar. That team advanced to the knockout stage but was eliminated by the Netherlands, who lost to eventual champion Argentina in the round of 16.

The U.S. is the highest-ranked team in its group this summer, joining Australia (26th), Paraguay (39th) and a team to be determined in a playoff.

The USMNT has not had much success in the World Cup. The squad reached the Round of 16 in 2010 and 2014 but failed to qualify for the tournament in 2018. It returned to the Round of 16 three years ago but couldn’t advance out of the Copa América group stage on home soil last year.

The U.S. will open the tournament June 12 in Los Angeles against Paraguay on FOX.

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