NEW YORK, January 17. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump feels "empowered" by the successful military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and will not retreat from the aggressive foreign policy characteristic of the US leader since the beginning of 2026, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing the US leader’s advisors.

According to their information, Trump has repeatedly shared details of the raid to capture Maduro, calling the elite Delta Force unit responsible for the operation in Caracas "badasses." Trump is convinced that adversaries fear and respect the US and believes that Republican lawmakers will not hinder potential military operations in the future, sources told the WSJ.

According to the newspaper, the Trump administration’s aggressive policy has negatively impacted Trump’s approval ratings. Republicans fear that Democrats could regain control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections in November, which would give them the right to conduct investigations related to the US leader’s actions.

On January 3, US President Donald Trump announced a military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife by American forces. On January 5, the couple appeared before the US Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, where they face charges of alleged involvement in drug trafficking. Both have pleaded not guilty. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president. Meanwhile, Trump said that Washington would "run" Venezuela in the interim.