New York Times correspondent in Florida, Tyler Pager, recounted his conversation with President Trump a few minutes after the announcement of the attack in Venezuela.
"President Trump looked tired. It was just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning and 10 minutes after he had announced on social media that the United States had captured Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela. I called the president to better understand what had happened and what to expect next. He picked up the phone after three rings and answered a few questions. Trump initially celebrated the success of the mission."
“A lot of good planning and a lot of great, really great troops, and wonderful people,” he told me. “Actually, it was a brilliant operation.”
I then asked him if he had sought authorization from Congress before the US military, along with law enforcement personnel, engaged in a “large-scale attack,” as he had called it on social media.
“We will discuss this,” he said. “We will have a press conference.”
In his social media announcement, Mr. Trump said he would speak at 11 a.m. from Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence where he has spent the past two weeks. I tried to ask him what he envisioned next for Venezuela and why this high-risk mission was worth it.
“You'll hear it all at 11 o'clock,” he said, before hanging up.
The call had lasted 50 seconds.
