Pete Hegseth: “President Trump sets the terms” on running Venezuela

What will it look like for the U.S. to run Venezuela? In an interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said: “President Trump sets the terms.” 

“It means we set the terms. President Trump sets the terms. And ultimately, he’ll decide what the iterations are of that,” Hegseth said. “But, it means the drugs stop flowing, it means the oil that was taken from us is returned, ultimately, and that criminals are not sent to the United States.”

Mr. Trump said earlier Saturday that “we’re going to run the country” until there is a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power in Venezuela, but he provided few details about what that may look like. 

Hegseth was among the top Trump administration officials who oversaw the overnight U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. He called it “the most sophisticated, most complicated, most successful joint special operations raid of all time.” 

Dokoupil asked whether the administration would seek Congress’ approval for a full-scale intervention to stabilize Venezuela. Hegseth called Maduro’s capture a law enforcement exercise and said Secretary of State Marco Rubio “was clear there that this is not something you notify Congress about beforehand.” But he said if there are more extensions to this, “of course we will keep Congress involved.”

Without going into details about what the Trump administration’s next steps are in Venezuela, Hegseth emphasized American interest in Venezuelan oil, the security of the Western hemisphere and stopping drug trafficking.

“What was done by Venezuela against American oil interests and oil companies is well understood and it never should have happened and President Trump is willing to recapture that,” Hegseth said.

When asked about the blockade of sanctioned oil from Venezuela imposed by Mr. Trump last month, Hegseth said no oil is going in or out of the country, and the U.S. military is still poised in the Caribbean.

“[Mr. Trump] said it clearly at the podium today. We are going to get American companies in there. We are going to get investment in there. These oil depots have been operating at 20% capacity. That’s going to change,” Hegseth told CBS News.

Ultimately, Hegseth said, both Americans and Venezuelans can benefit from U.S. interventions.

“What happens next will be in the hands of Venezuelans to decide but ultimately America will benefit security wise, and with prosperity, we believe the Venezuelan people can as well,” he said.