Former US President Donald Trump recently addressed mounting speculation regarding whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could face a fate similar to Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, following the dramatic US operation that resulted in Maduro's capture. Trump stated that he believes such an action against Putin would "not be necessary." This response came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had obliquely suggested that the United States now "knows what to do next" with dictators, an apparent reference to Putin, in the wake of the Maduro incident. The US military's Delta Force reportedly conducted a "large scale strike" in Venezuela, leading to the apprehension of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently transported to New York to face trial on drug-trafficking and other charges. This unprecedented intervention, which took place on January 3, 2026, sent shockwaves globally, prompting discussions about potential precedents for other international adversaries. During his remarks, Trump also voiced significant disappointment with Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, lamenting the considerable loss of life and the war's persistence. He reiterated his past claims of having settled multiple conflicts, suggesting he thought the Ukraine war would be an easier one to resolve. The incident underscores the complexities of current international relations and the geopolitical implications of US foreign policy.