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Trump at his press conference on the #Venezuela invasion just now: "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. We don't want someone else to get in and we have the same situation."

Trump: "We're there now. And what people don't understand, but now they will understand as I speak, we're going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place. We're going to run it."

Trump: "We're going to have our very large US oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the infrastructure and start making money for the country." "We're ready to stage a 2nd and much larger attack if we need to do so."

Trump says the US occupation "will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent and safe". "It will also make the many people from Venezuela that are living in the US extremely happy."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the #Venezuela invasion puts other countries "on notice - America can project our will anywhere, any time." "No other president has ever shown this kind of leadership, courage and resolve - the most powerful combination the world has ever seen"

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says Maduro "F'd around, and he found out" The US is "deadly serious about getting back the oil that was stolen from us, and deadly serious about reestablishing American deterrence and dominance in the Western Hemisphere" "This is America First. Welcome to 2026."

Asked whether 🇺🇸 running Venezuela will involve US soldiers with boots on the ground, Trump suggests that it will. "We're not afraid of boots on the ground," he says. "We had boots on the ground last night." "We're going to make sure that the country is run properly. We're not doing this in vain."

Trump says 🇺🇸 will not be leaving Venezuela "For us to just leave - who's going to take over? There is nobody else to take over" "We're not going to just do this with Maduro and then leave," he says. "We'll run it properly and professionally. We have the greatest oil companies in the world"

"Why is running a country in South America 'America First'?" a reporter asks Trump. "Well we want to surround ourself with good neighbours," he says, and "we need the energy".

Trump is asked if it's possible the US will end up administering Venezuela for many years. "Well, it won't cost us anything because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial," Trump responds. "We're not spending money, the oil companies will go in and spend money."

Trump confirms that there will be US boots on the ground in Venezuela at least to protect the oil extraction. At least "a small amount" he says.