President Trump's Secretary of State is standing behind his boss 100%.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent actions in Venezuela to depose Nicholas Maduro are still sending aftershocks through the media landscape and global community.

The decisive and bold action to apprehend Maduro was carried out by U.S. special forces soldiers over the weekend. The media firestorm ignited by Maduro’s ouster will likely continue all week.

But for the time being, one of President Trump’s staunchest allies — Secretary of State Marco Rubio — has been busily defending his boss and the Trump administration’s decision to move on Maduro.

“Nicolas Maduro was indicted in 2020 in the United States,” Sec. Rubio said at a press conference on Janaruy 3. “He is not the legitimate president of Venezuela. That’s not just us saying it. The first Trump administration, the Biden administration, the second Trump administration, none of those three recognized him. He’s not recognized by the European Union and multiple countries around the world.”

“He is a fugitive of American justice with a $50 million reward, which I guess we say $50 million,” Rubio added. “Don’t let anybody claim it. Nobody deserves it but us. But I want to be clear about one thing. Nicolas Maduro had multiple opportunities to avoid this. He was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers and chose instead to act like a wild man, chose instead to play around. And the result is what we saw tonight.”

“The other message here is the following: You have a guy like many people around the world. They like to play games,” Rubio hinted darkly. “You have a guy who decides he’s going to invite Iran into his country, is going to, you know, do the confiscation of American oil companies, is going to flood our country with gang members, is going to take Americans prisoner and try to hold them for hostage and trade them like he was able to do with the Biden administration. Basically likes to play games all this time and thinks nothing’s going to happen. And I hope what people now understand is we have a president.”

“The 47th president of the United States is not a game player,” Sec. Rubio warned. “When he tells you that he’s going to do something, when he tells you he’s going to address a problem, he means it. He actions it. I can tell you, I’ve watched this process now for 14, 15 years, been around it.”

“Everybody talks: ‘I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that. When I get there, we’re going to do this. We’re going to take,’” Rubio went on. “This is a president of action. Like, I don’t understand yet how they haven’t figured this out. And now if you don’t know, now you know, because this is the way it’s going to play out.”

“And I think people need to understand that this is not a president that just talks and does letters and press conferences,” Rubio said. “And, you know, if he says he’s serious about something, he means it. And this is something that was a direct threat to the national interest of the United States. And the president addressed it. There’s a president of peace, by the way. I told you what I just said earlier.”

“This guy had multiple opportunities to find his way somewhere else and figure out another,” Rubio reiterated. “He could have been living somewhere else right now, very happy. But instead he wanted to play big boy. And so now, you know, he’s got other sets of problems on his hands. And but I think the message here should be for the world. Look, the president doesn’t go out looking for people to pick fights with.”

“He’s not generally wants to get along with everybody,” said Rubio. “We’ll talk and meet with anybody. But don’t play games. Don’t play games with this president’s in office because it’s not going to turn out well. And so I hope that, you know, you know, I guess that lesson was learned last night. And and we hope it’ll be instructive moving forward.”

“We are enforcing American laws with regards to oil sanctions,” Secretary of State Rubio explained further on a weekend episode of NBC’s Meet the Press. “We have sanctioned entities. We go to court. We get a warrant. We seize those boats with oil. And that will continue. And we will continue to reserve the right to take strikes against drug boats that are bringing drugs towards the United States that are being operated by transnational criminal organizations including the Cartel de los Soles.”

“Of course their leader, the leader of that cartel, is now in U.S. custody and facing U.S. justice in the Southern District of New York,” Sec. Rubio said. “And that’s Nicolas Maduro. So we made a big progress in that regard.”

Mr. Rubio isn’t the only one defending President Trump’s actions, however.

“Some people talk about invasion in Venezuela… I answer, Venezuela has already been invaded,” Venezuela’s opposition party leader and recent Nobel Peace prize winner, Maria Corina Machado told the press over the weekend. “We have Russian agents, Iranian agents, terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, operating freely in accordance with the regime.”

“The Hour of Freedom Has Arrived!” a jubilant Machado celebrated the news of Maduro’s ouster with a letter to the Venezuelan people posted on social media. “Nicolás Maduro faces international justice for crimes against Venezuelans and others. The US has enforced the law after his refusal to negotiate an exit.”

“The time has come for popular and national sovereignty to now govern,” she called. “We’ll free political prisoners, build an exceptional country, and bring our children home. We’ve fought hard; it’s worth it. Citizens’ hour: President-Elect Edmundo González assumes mandate as Commander in Chief. We’re prepared to enforce it. Stay vigilant for democratic transition for all.”

“Venezuelans inside: ready via official channels,” instructed Machado. “Abroad: mobilize globally for new Venezuela’s construction. With strength and affection, Venezuela will be free! With God’s hand, to the end.”

Plenty of elected Republicans have also applauded Trump for the move.

“Maduro put out a hit on Sec Rubio when he was a Senator,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna reminded social media users on January 3. “This action alone puts you on a certain list you never come off of. Maduro is also responsible for the death of thousands of Americans. Let this be known to any world leader: if you call for and/or pay for the assassination or bounty of any US politician, you will face the wrath of the entire US government, and we will eventually eliminate the threat.”

And while President Donald Trump is fielding a great deal of criticism for the action from his political opponents, Venezuelans — from Las Vegas to Caracas — haven’t been complaining one bit.

Since Trump announced the news on social media, tributes of gratitude have been pouring in from Venezuelans. In their eyes, Trump’s action in wasn’t a doing but an undoing.

Under Maduro’s regime, almost 1/3 of Venezuela’s population was forced to flee the beleaguered nation. Now, many expatriates are anxious to return home, begin the rebuilding process, and reunite with family members.

Connected as never before by social media we are sure to hear in the coming days heartwarming accounts of tearful family reunions and lost loved ones interred by the Maduro regime returned as if from the dead. 

A new sense of optimism is already building as nations, companies, and individuals line up to help with Venezuela’s rebuilding efforts. With Maduro gone, the decades-long brain drain the robbed Venezuela of many of its best and brightest scientists, doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs can be reversed. 

And a new Venezuela, for the people and by the people, can begin anew.

(Contributing writer, Brooke Bell)