Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., confirmed Saturday that Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro was taken into custody overnight under what he described as a “valid Department of Justice warrant,” backing President Donald Trump’s decisive move to end one of the Western Hemisphere’s most dangerous regimes.

In a post on X, Thune said Trump’s announcement marked the end of a deadly status quo. “For years, Nicolas Maduro, the cartel he leads, and other cartels in Latin America have trafficked drugs into the United States, which have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans,” Thune wrote. That’s not rhetoric — that’s the cost of ignoring criminal regimes for too long.

Thune made clear he fully supports Trump’s order to capture Maduro, calling it a critical step toward justice. “President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States,” he said. In other words, this wasn’t political theater — it was law enforcement.

The South Dakota senator also praised those who carried out the operation, emphasizing the importance of protecting U.S. interests. “I am grateful for the brave men and women of our armed forces who carried out this necessary action,” Thune said. Quiet professionals doing serious work — exactly how it should be done.

Thune added that he is already consulting with other Senate leaders to prepare for follow-up actions supporting Trump’s decision. “I spoke to Secretary Marco Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week,” he said. Coordination, accountability, and follow-through — again, not complicated.

President Trump later addressed reporters and confirmed that the United States would assist in managing Venezuela’s affairs. He described Maduro as directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans through his cartel’s drug-smuggling operations into the U.S. A brutal truth, but one that’s long overdue to be acknowledged at the highest levels.

With a valid warrant, decisive leadership, and unwavering support for law and order, this operation sends a clear message: criminal regimes are no longer untouchable. And for Americans who have paid the price for years of narco-terrorism, this marks a long-awaited step toward justice — and a safer future.