India, Jan. 3 -- President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will temporarily "run" Venezuela following a dramatic overnight U.S. military operation that captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, a claim that immediately raised sharp legal, diplomatic and geopolitical questions.

Speaking at a press conference from his Florida residence hours after the raid, Trump said the U.S. would administer Venezuela until what he called a "safe, proper and judicious transition" could be put in place.

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said. "We don't want to be involved with having someone else get in and then have the same situation we've h...