Speaker Johnson says US troops are not expected to be on ground in Venezuela with Maduro out

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday night that Americans should not expect U.S. troops in Venezuela as the Latin American country recovers from a U.S. operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

American troops arrested Maduro and his wife over the weekend after they were indicted in New York on drug trafficking and weapons charges. The Trump administration has described the mission as a law enforcement operation rather than an invasion or act of war.

Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill that the operation was not a "regime change" but a "demand for change of behavior by a regime," and that he does not expect the United States to have direct involvement in the country's new government.

“We don’t expect troops on the ground,” Johnson said, according to Politico. “We don’t expect direct involvement in any other way beyond just coercing ... the interim government to get that going. I expect that there will be an election called in Venezuela. … It should happen in short order.”

Johnson's comments come after War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi and CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed Congressional leaders on the operation for two hours. 

The Trump administration officials briefed the top Democrat and Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and House and Senate Armed Services committees, and the Gang of Eight. 

"Today’s briefing confirmed that the successful capture of narco-terrorist dictator Maduro — who was sending deadly drugs and gang members into our country — was one of the most stunning displays of military might and competence in history," Johnson said in a post on X. 

"Our military professionals were safely in and out with speed, precision, power, and zero American casualties," he continued. "This is about the safety, security, freedom, and prosperity of the American people. This is America First, and the definition of peace through strength."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the briefing "raised far more questions than it answered," and that the administration's plan for Venezuela was based on wishful thinking. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.