France, Jan. 3 -- Trump's stunning announcement follows months of steadily mounting US military and economic pressure on leftist leader Maduro and his country's oil-export-dependent economy.

"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," Trump said on Truth Social.

"This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."

Trump added that he would give a news conference at 11:00 am (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is nearing the end of a two-week Christmas and New Year's vacation.

In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, T...