Vice President JD Vance praised the earlier morning operation by U.S. special forces on Saturday in a social media post and noted that now the world knows President Donald Trump "means what he says."

"The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States," Vance wrote on X.

Early Saturday morning, U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, according to U.S. officials and Trump. The operation followed months of escalating pressure by Washington over allegations that Maduro oversaw large-scale drug trafficking and the theft of Venezuelan oil revenues.

"Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says. Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation," Vance added.

U.S. officials said the mission was carried out by Delta Force, the Army’s elite special operations unit specializing in high-risk counterterrorism and capture missions.

Maduro has long been indicted in U.S. federal court on narcotics and corruption charges. The capture marks a dramatic escalation in U.S. action against the Venezuelan government and has drawn swift international reaction, with allies and adversaries alike warning of potential consequences for regional stability.

• US State Dept: Maduro Will 'Face Justice' After Capture
• Trump: Venezuela's Maduro 'Captured' After 'Large-Scale Strike'