On January 8, Donald Trump finally appeared for his first sit-down interview since the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro and his wife. But during the conversation, he detoured into donuts.
Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the President defended the U.S. strike that pulled Maduro out of Caracas and landed him in a Brooklyn jail. The 79-year-old president was quick to present a monologue about oil prices, delivery trucks, stoves, and donuts.
He tried to explain why America’s grip on Venezuela makes sense. But sadly, the interview just showed how casually Trump now talks about “taking over” another country.
Trump told Hannity that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had “hit” him for the operation, but the attack was “perfect” as the U.S. had “taken over a whole country.”
He also knew that the U.S had now seized billions in oil, and would oversee its elections so that Venezuelans could “vote and put somebody in that they like.”
Soon, Trump explained to why oil matters. “Everything follows oil,” he said. So, low oil prices could affect “a truck that delivers donuts,” “the stove that makes the donut.” Maybe his point was that controlling Venezuelan oil is about…donuts.
PRESIDENT TRUMP on taking out Venezuela drug boats:
“Every boat we knock out of the water — every boat — we save 25,000 American lives.”
“We’re 92 or 94% down in drugs coming in by the sea.”
“People aren’t liking to drive boats right now loaded up with drugs.” pic.twitter.com/TdPsFnBDTX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 8, 2025
On the other hand, his own administration insists the Venezuela raid wasn’t about resources at all. Officially, this law enforcement mission was to bring Maduro to New York to face narcoterrorism charges.
Yet Trump himself has contradicted that line several times. He said the U.S. will “run” Venezuela, its oil production, and manage the proceeds.
On Truth Social, Trump boasted that Venezuela would turn over “between 30 and 50 MILLION barrels” of oil for the U.S. to sell and “that money will be controlled by me.”
He even admitted to The New York Times that he has no timeline to even give Venezuela its control back. “Would it be a year? “I would say much longer,” he stated.
Meanwhile, U.S. Delta Force operators who carried out the Caracas operation could only do so after months of build-up. Maduro and his wife are awaiting federal trial on drug trafficking and terrorism-related charges in New York.
While Trump declared the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they won’t govern directly. International law scholars said the strike violated the U.N. Charter’s ban on using force against another state’s sovereignty when there was no need for self-defense or U.N. authorization.
Democrats also alleged that Trump bypassed Congress and the War Powers Resolution. Republicans begged to differ as they believed that the operation was within presidential authority.
The Venezuela War Powers resolution has failed in a vote of 211-213, with nine members not voting. An absolute dereliction of duty from Congress. pic.twitter.com/vHf2sXoYfO
— Dave DeCamp (@DecampDave) December 17, 2025
Whatever the case may be, Trump seemed unbothered by the legality. He’s more interested in “making a lot of money” and making donuts affordable.
