President Trump sounded tired.
It was just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning and 10 minutes after he announced on social media that the United States had captured Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela. I had called the president to try to better understand what happened and what comes next. He picked up after three rings and answered a few questions.
Mr. Trump first celebrated the mission’s success.
“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” he told me. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
I then asked if he had sought congressional authority before the U.S. military, along with law enforcement personnel, engaged in a “large scale strike,” as he put in on social media.
“We’ll discuss that,” he said. “We’re going to have a news conference.”
In his social media announcement, Mr. Trump said he would speak at 11 a.m. from Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence where he has spent the past two weeks.
I tried to ask what he envisions next for Venezuela and why the high-risk mission was worth it.
“You’re going to hear all about it 11 o’clock,” he said before hanging up.
The call had lasted 50 seconds.
Tyler Pager is a White House correspondent for The Times, covering President Trump and his administration.
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