There are currently no publicly confirmed large-scale, permanent U.S. ground troop deployments stationed inside Venezuela, but U.S. forces have just carried out major strikes on Venezuelan territory and used special operations troops on the ground as part of those raids.

What is happening now?

  • On 3 January 2026, the U.S. launched a major military operation against Venezuela, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve , hitting targets across northern Venezuela and Caracas and capturing President NicolĂĄs Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
  • U.S. special operations forces (including units like Delta Force) entered Venezuelan territory during the raid to seize Maduro, which means there were “boots on the ground” during the operation.

Are U.S. troops in Venezuela right now?

  • President Donald Trump has publicly said that the U.S. “had boots on the ground last night” in Venezuela and that U.S. forces are “there now, ready to go again if we have to,” implying at least some continued U.S. military presence connected to the operation.
  • However, there is no clear, detailed public confirmation of a large, long-term U.S. occupation force already deployed across Venezuela (like an open, declared garrison or formal peacekeeping mission); most reporting describes raids, strikes, and an extraction operation rather than a full-scale, declared ground invasion.

Massive U.S. buildup around Venezuela

  • In the months before the strikes, the U.S. built up a large military presence in the Caribbean and nearby region , including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford , several destroyers, and about 15,000 U.S. personnel in the wider theater.
  • These forces carried out airstrikes, naval blockades, and actions against ships and infrastructure , and served as the launchpad for the assault and special forces raid into Venezuela.

What Trump says will happen next

  • Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until there is a “safe, proper and judicious transition,” and has openly suggested that more U.S. troops could be sent as part of an occupation or stabilization mission.
  • He has also said that U.S. oil companies will go into Venezuela, invest “billions” and use Venezuelan oil revenue to finance the U.S. role in the country, which suggests plans for a sustained U.S. presence of some kind, potentially including additional troops, officials and contractors.

Bottom line

  • Yes , U.S. troops have entered Venezuela as part of the recent raids and capture of Maduro, and U.S. leaders say they are not ruling out further or ongoing “boots on the ground.”
  • No clear public evidence yet shows a fully established, long-term, open-ended U.S. ground occupation with large numbers of conventional troops spread across the country, but official statements point toward an intention to stay involved and possibly expand the presence during a transition period.

Information gathered from public sources and news reports available on the internet and portrayed here.