1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Coming up on American Sunrise Early Edition. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 2: Extreme action. 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: US forces capture Venezuela's Nicholas Maduro and his wife now 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: in US custody facing drug and terrorism charges today in 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: a Manhattan court room. Plus celebrations erupt, fans cheer across 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: Venezuela and right here at home, where Americans are applauding 7 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 1: this bold show of power. But not everyone is happy. 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: Some members of Congress are sounding off, questioning the mission. 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: All of that and so much more coming up on 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 1: American Sunrise Early Edition. Good morning, Welcome to American Sunrise 11 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: Early Edition on Alison Hans Live from West Palm Beach. 12 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: It is so great to have you with us this morning. 13 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: Let's bring in my co host Brian Glenn to check 14 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: in on the latest happenings overnight. Good morning, Brian, Hey, 15 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: nothing happened over the weekend, right? 16 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: Can you believe that we're sitting on January third, and 17 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, all this news comes out about Venezuela, 18 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 3: And of course you have all the developments in the 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 3: Middle Eague, so much going on, and you know, Allison, 20 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 3: as we enter what year two of this Trump administration, man, 21 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 3: we are seeing things off and running as quickly as 22 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 3: day third of the year. So it's been incredible. 23 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: Absolutely, it was ridiculous. I was in that phase where 24 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: you know, during the vacation, you don't know what day 25 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: it is, what's going on, And like finally by Saturday, 26 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, it is Saturday, tomorrow's Sunday. And 27 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: that was blown out the window because I was just 28 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: sucked into the story and following every detail. So it 29 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: was just, you know, absolutely an amazing, amazing capture. And 30 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: now I think all eyes are on Manhattan this morning. 31 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: I think actually noon is when the arraignment will take place. 32 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: But just a spectacular, spectacular capture and mourning. 33 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 3: And Alison, if you think about it, whenever President Trump 34 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 3: left Washington, d C. To kind of go to mar 35 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 3: al Lago for the holidays, many of us at the 36 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 3: White House felt like, Okay, well, this is the time 37 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 3: that we all have a little bit of a break. 38 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 3: He's going to be playing golf, spending time with his family. Yeah, 39 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 3: this guy not only worked at the White House, but 40 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 3: he almost is doing more sitting on the patio at 41 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 3: Mar A Lago as we saw those images come across 42 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 3: the screen. So yeah, President Trump taking no days off 43 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 3: so far going into year two. 44 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely, absolutely, Brian. Well, let's take a look at our 45 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: Bible versus this morning. I'll get you do it. 46 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 3: Oh wonderful this versus Psalm twenty seven to one. It says, 47 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 3: the Lord is my light in my salvation. Who shall 48 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life? 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 3: Of whom shall I be afraid? I think this is 50 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,119 Speaker 3: a great passage here, and you know, it's really interesting 51 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: in my bio on social media, I like this useer 52 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 3: phrase do not fear as one of most commonly used 53 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: phrases in the Bible. And we shall not fear anything, 54 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 3: fear no evil at all. And speaking of fearlessness, early 55 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: Saturday morning, US Forces executed a dangerous, precise mission to 56 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 3: capture Venezuela's Nicholas Maduro and his wife. Now, Allison, the 57 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 3: details of this of this operation read like something out 58 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 3: of a movie. 59 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: As absolutely Brian. US Forces captured Venezuelan leader Maduro and 60 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: his wife early Saturday morning, and as we've been talking about, 61 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: they're now in US customity facing terrorism and drug charges. 62 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: Operation Absolute Resolve was months in the making. More than 63 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty aircraft struck in the early hours 64 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: on Saturday. Striking with precision and surprise, Delta Force commandos 65 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: raided Maduro's residence in the middle of the night. One 66 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: US aircraft was damaged, but all of them returned safely. 67 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: Now this operation shows American power, intelligence, and military skill 68 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: at its best. Here is what the President had to 69 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: say just a few hours after its successful completion. 70 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 4: Late last night and early today, at my direction, the 71 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 4: United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in 72 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 4: the capital of Venezuela. Overwhelming American military power, air land 73 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 4: and sea was used to launch a spectacular assault, and 74 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 4: it was a assault like people have not seen since 75 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 4: World War Two. It was a force against a heavily 76 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 4: fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas to bring 77 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 4: outlaw dictator Nicholas Maduro to justice. This was one of 78 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 4: the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military 79 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 4: might and competence. 80 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: In American history. 81 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: For more on this incredible operation and the tactics behind it, 82 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: let's welcome in. Mike Sorelli, retired US Navy Seal Officer 83 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: Mike good Morning, agreed to see you and thank you 84 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: for being here with us. 85 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 5: Alison, thank you for having me. 86 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: Okay, Mike, when you receive word on the operation, what 87 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: was going through your head? 88 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 5: Well, I didn't receive word until I woke up on 89 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 5: Satura morning, and it put a smile on my face. 90 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 5: I mean, if this doesn't make you proud of the 91 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 5: American military, I don't know what does. And if you aren't, 92 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 5: you've got a problem, because this was and will be 93 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 5: one of the most historic, high risk capture and extraction 94 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 5: missions that will be memorialized in military history. I mean, 95 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 5: the raid combined air dominance, intelligence mastery, in the precision 96 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 5: of special operations to take down a despot and bring 97 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 5: them into custody. 98 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: So, Mike, can you tell us a little bit about 99 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: how the aircraft came in the details, because I know 100 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: that you have experienced in these types of things how 101 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: the aircraft came in and then turning off the lights 102 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: and all of that. 103 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 5: Well, yeah, this is the joint capacity and capability of 104 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 5: the US military. So first off, this was months in 105 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 5: the planning. Something of this magnitude requires constant rehearsals, revisions 106 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 5: to the plan. But more importantly, the intelligence community has 107 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 5: to build a powder life on Monduro to fix him 108 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 5: to a target. That Eventually Jasok Delta commandos felt comfortable 109 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 5: that they could successfully execute this mission. So with this, 110 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 5: ultimately they used pre assault fires on multiple locations around Caracas. 111 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 5: Now that does two things. First, it eliminates any air 112 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 5: defense threats that could bring a risk to the aircraft 113 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 5: carrying in the commandos on the infiltration or the ex 114 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 5: filtration out. Secondly, it creates this confusion when you hit 115 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 5: multiple targets. The Venezuelan forces don't know if it's a 116 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 5: mass invasion of the country or if it's a precision 117 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 5: raid like it was. But for these ten plus aircraft 118 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 5: carrying in the commandos, plus the one hundred and fifty overhead 119 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 5: supporting him, you had electronic warfare, you had lift, you 120 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 5: had strike capabilities. They did turn off the lights on 121 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 5: the military base, and ultimately the commandos came in quickly, 122 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 5: spent very little time on the ground, even though they 123 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 5: didn't meet resistance, Capture Maduro, secure him and his wife, 124 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 5: and get out safely. I mean, this is the complexity 125 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 5: and the sophistication of something in this magnitude. There's only 126 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 5: one military in the world that could execute it and 127 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 5: that is the US military. 128 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: Brian I take Yeah. 129 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was going to say, let's take a list 130 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 3: to what Secretary of War Pete Headset had to say 131 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 3: about this, and we'll talk on the flip side. 132 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 6: Nicholas Maduro had his chance, just like Iran had their chance, 133 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 6: until they didn't, and until he didn't. 134 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 2: He left around and he found out. 135 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 6: President Trump is deadly serious about stopping the flow of 136 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 6: gangs and violence to our country, deadly serious about stopping 137 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 6: the flow of drugs and poison to our people, deadly 138 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 6: serious about getting back the oil that was stolen from us, 139 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 6: and deadly serious about re establishing American deterrence and dominance 140 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 6: in the Western hemisphere. This is about the safety, security, freedom, 141 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 6: and prosperity of the American people. 142 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 2: This is America first. 143 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 6: This is peace through strength, and the United States War 144 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 6: Department is proud to help deliver it. 145 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 2: Welcome to twenty twenty six. 146 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 3: Okay, Mike, So from a military perspective, and what's interesting, 147 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 3: I never thought we'd hear the words FAFO uttered during 148 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 3: a press conference, but we pretty much had that illusion there. 149 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 3: What message does this send to the rest of the world. 150 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 3: He mentioned Iran, but what message does this send to 151 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: other countries? That Hey, you know, when we give you 152 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 3: a chance to negotiate, and if you choose not to negotiate, 153 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 3: well then f a FO. 154 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, Pete's good to go. So I think FAFO is 155 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 5: probably officially submitted into military doctrine now, as it should be. No. So, 156 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 5: I I think the message it sends is that no 157 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 5: one is outside the reach of the United States Military 158 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 5: and Justice Department. And we just showed that on a 159 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 5: Friday night. But I mean, here are the implications when 160 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 5: you think about it. We are going to see a 161 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 5: major reshuffling of the chessboard globally. I mean, Venezuela was 162 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 5: bricks only reliable anti US energy stronghold the Americas. We 163 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 5: just constrained bricks to Asia and Africa and basically decapitated 164 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 5: China's belt road and influence in the Western hemisphere. Additionally, 165 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 5: you know, this further isolates Putin in a time that 166 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 5: he doesn't need it, and we've totally killed this shadow 167 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 5: energy economy. And when this Venezuelan oil hits the market, 168 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 5: we're going to see lower prices globally. So it is 169 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 5: it's a great thing for the United States, It's a 170 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 5: great thing for the Western Hemisphere and even our allies 171 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 5: in Asia, Europe and Africa. 172 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: Mike, let's change gears and turn to the legal side 173 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: of the Maduro story. The US Attorney General Pambondi has 174 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 1: released a new indictment alleging that Maduro and his family 175 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,319 Speaker 1: use their power to traffic massive amounts of cocaine into 176 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: the US, including using state aircraft to move drugs through 177 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: Miami and Mexico. Mike, from a military and strategic perspective, 178 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: what does this indictment tell us about the extent of 179 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: Maduro's operations and the message America is sending by bringing 180 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: these types of charges. 181 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 5: Well, you know, he's dead to rights. We know that 182 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 5: in Panbondi and the Justice Department will make sure that happens. 183 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 5: But again, strategically, in sort of the world, message is China, Russia, 184 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 5: Iran and any terrorist proxy is not welcome in the 185 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 5: Western hemisphere. This doctrine, which I'm hearing now is called 186 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 5: the Donro doctrine has been long overdue. We've been so 187 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 5: fixated on the global war on terror, as we should 188 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 5: be at that time, that we've taken our eye off 189 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 5: the Western hemisphere, and for the first time we've had 190 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 5: a president that has the fortitude to re establish Western 191 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 5: you know, a doctor and within the Western hemisphere. This 192 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 5: is a message to the world and again it further 193 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 5: isolates our foreign adversaries. This was a smart, just and 194 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 5: morally conviction, morally righteous, righteous call for which the left guys, 195 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 5: we can never expect them to understand. I've never seen 196 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 5: such moral confusion by a party, And I think this 197 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 5: is the great question. If Obama had made this decision 198 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 5: with the same intel, same circumstances, would the Democrats be 199 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 5: celebrating in the streets as this as this was morally 200 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 5: just because right now I think they put moral their 201 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 5: hatred for Donald Trump ahead of their moral conviction. 202 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 3: Okay, we got ten seconds. So by the way, Obama 203 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 3: killed Kadaffi. Didn't bring him into a courtroom, he killed him. 204 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 3: So Democrats need to go back and think about that 205 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 3: five seconds left. What is the future now that Maduro 206 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 3: is in custody? What is the future sure of Venezuela? 207 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 3: About thirty seconds. 208 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 5: I'll put you this way. Removing a despot through military 209 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 5: means is the easy part, and that doesn't take away 210 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 5: from the bravery of the men demonstrated on the ground. 211 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 5: But now with a transition period. And this is why 212 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 5: President Trump wants to assert some control over the transition 213 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 5: of Venezuela exactly so that China, Russia, and Iran don't 214 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 5: try to corrupt free and democratic elections. And guys, that's 215 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 5: the hard part, and we're gonna have to watch it day. 216 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 1: By day, which we will be doing. Thank you so much, Mike. 217 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 2: Thanks Mike. 218 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: Coming up join us as we break down Congress's response 219 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: to the Maduro operation, who supported, who criticized, and why 220 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: that's coming up next.