Details Emerge on VP J.D. Vance’s Role During Maduro Operation
Vice President J.D. Vance has shared insights about his whereabouts during a recent special forces mission aimed at capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In an interview, Vance mentioned, “I was in a van, in a mobile situation room about 32 miles from Mar-a-Lago.” He recalled being with friends and having called Secretary of State Marco Rubio around 10:30 p.m. on January 2 to inform him, “This is going to happen tonight.”
Vance noted that he and Rubio, often discussed as potential rivals and running mates for the 2028 Republican ticket, considered whether it would be appropriate for him to return to Mar-a-Lago.
While reflecting on his travel arrangements, Vance joked, “I travel with so many Secret Service personnel, does it matter that the vice president shows up at Mar-a-Lago with 30 sirens an hour before this operation begins?” Ultimately, they decided against his return.
Following Maduro’s arrest, the White House released images showing President Trump closely monitoring events alongside Rubio, raising questions about Vance’s role. Other prominent figures present included Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Gen. Dan Cain.
Despite the speculation, Vance assured that he was kept informed throughout the operation. He explained, “I expected it to happen that night,” and added that he initially planned to be more involved. However, he decided that overseeing the operation remotely would suffice. He emphasized that the operation’s success was largely due to the element of surprise.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured at a secure location in Caracas and transported to New York to face serious charges, including drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
When asked if he thought President Trump was upset about his absence during the operation, Vance replied, “No, not at all. I was annoyed.” He further detailed that he spent around six hours communicating with Trump and the team throughout the mission.
Vance found the media’s attempts to create drama amusing, saying, “I think it’s funny. The media tries to create something out of nothing.”
