Trump tells ‘The New York Post’: “The ‘Donroe’ doctrine is a Monroe Doctrine on steroids”

President Trump told ‘The New York Post’ in an exclusive interview that US troops won’t be stationed in Venezuela so long as ousted strongman Nicolás Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, “does what we want” in the aftermath of a daring US raid that captured Maduro.

Trump made the clarification moments after a press conference where he said that “we are going to run the country” ahead of a democratic transition, introducing the prospect of a US occupation.

Asked by The Post if “US troops [will] be on the ground helping run the country,” Trump said: “No, if Maduro’s vice president — if the vice president does what we want, we won’t have to do that.”

“We’re prepared,” Trump added. “You know, we have a second wave that’s much bigger than the first wave.”

The president said that “we’ve spoken to her [Rodriguez] numerous times, and she understands, she understands.”

Venezuelan Vice President: Maduro is 'the only president' of Venezuela

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez speaks during a meeting with the Diplomatic Corps, in Caracas, June 23, 2025.
Photo: VCG

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said on Saturday that Nicolás Maduro is "the only legitimate president" of the South American nation.

“Here, we have a government with clarity, and I repeat and repeat again… we are willing to have respectful relations,” she said, referring to the Trump administration. “It is the only thing we will accept for a type of relationship after having attacked [Venezuela].”

Rodriguez made the statement during a live address on state television Saturday afternoon, adding that Venezuela will never become a colony of any country.

Accompanied by the ministers of interior, foreign affairs and other officials, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded that the United States release Maduro and his wife. She also called on the Venezuelan people to remain calm, confront challenges together and defend national sovereignty.

Warning that a similar attack could occur in other countries in the region, Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela is prepared to protect its natural resources and will never become a colony or a slave of any empire.

‘Cuba is going to fall of its own volition’

Trump told ‘The New York Post’ that he is not considering additional military action against Cuba, Venezuela’s longtime ally, which was heavily dependent on Caracas for economic support and fuel.

“No, Cuba is going to fall of its own volition. Cuba is doing very poorly,” Trump said.

Moments earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at Trump’s press conference in Palm Beach, Fla., that “if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit” — adding uncertainty about the future of US policy toward the communist island.

“Cuba was always very reliant on Venezuela. That’s where they got their money, and they protected Venezuela, but that didn’t work out too well in this case,” Trump told The Post.

Trump justified the US strike in Venezuela as protecting Americans from drugs and illegal immigrant gang members. He said US companies faced prior confiscation of resources from the Venezuelan government and would be involved in rebuilding the country’s oil infrastructure.

“The ‘Donroe’ doctrine is a Monroe Doctrine on steroids,” he said in the interview.

This is really how Trump sees the World – It's the Monroe Doctrine “on steroids”
Pic.: @haraldr.bsky.social

Machado ‘doesn’t have the support or the respect’

Trump’s proposed democratic transition in Venezuela remains murky — in part because he declared at the post-raid press conference that leading opposition figure Maria Corina Machado is ill-suited to replace Maduro, who ruled since 2013.

“It would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” he told reporters at his Palm Beach residence.

Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize in October. In a conciliatory gesture, she dedicated the award to Trump, who has been campaigning to secure the honor for himself.

The Congress is not glad

Trump’s critics in Congress reacted with outrage over his raid to capture Maduro — expressing alarm at the fact that he didn’t notify them ahead of time, after his prior surprise bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites in June.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, and the War Powers Resolution of 1973 specifies that presidents must notify lawmakers of military actions within 48 hours and gain authorization for engagements exceeding 60 days.

Schumer demanded a congressional briefing. “Launching military action without congressional authorization, without a credible plan for what comes next, is reckless,” Schumer said.

Many Democrats blasted Trump, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accusing him of “flagrant disregard for the Article One war powers of Congress which is essential to our constitutional system of checks and balances.”