What is Delta Force and what do they do? Inside the elite US Army unit that captured Maduro

President Donald Trump confirmed that Delta Force — nan U.S. Army’s astir elite counterterrorism and direct-action portion — carried retired nan daring overnight cognition successful Venezuela that led to nan seizure of dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Delta Force, officially known arsenic 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, specializes successful high-risk missions involving nan seizure aliases sidesplitting of high-value targets, arsenic good arsenic different delicate operations that require speed, secrecy and precision.

The portion operates nether U.S. Special Operations Command and is typically deployed erstwhile missions transportation important governmental aliases strategical stakes.

According to Military.com, Delta Force is based astatine Fort Bragg, North Carolina, nan hub of U.S. Army typical operations training. The portion has antecedently been progressive successful immoderate of nan astir consequential U.S. subject operations, including nan 2003 seizure of Saddam Hussein. The secretive portion besides conducted galore counterterrorism missions successful Afghanistan and elsewhere successful nan Middle East, targeting elder al-Qaeda figures.

FROM BUS DRIVER TO DICTATOR: NICOLÁS MADURO’S RISE AND FALL IN VENEZUELA

U.S. subject unit guidelines aboard nan Wasp-class amphibious battle vessel USS Iwo Jima while docked astatine Rafael Cordero Santiago Port of nan Americas successful Ponce, Puerto Rico, connected Dec. 16, 2025.  (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)

Delta Force is commanded by a elder Army officer, but nan personality of nan unit’s leader is besides kept classified, arsenic is nan nonstop size of nan unit. 

It is unclear really galore members took portion successful nan Venezuela operation.

During nan raid, U.S. Army helicopters from nan 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known arsenic nan "Night Stalkers," flew nan typical operations forces into Venezuela, officials said.

At slightest seven explosions were heard successful Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and low-flying craft were seen complete nan metropolis astatine astir 2 a.m. section time, according to reports.

The CIA provided intelligence to nan Department of War that helped guideline Delta Force to Maduro and his wife, whom President Donald Trump said were apprehended during nan U.S. subject operation.

Officials emphasized that while nan CIA played a captious domiciled successful search and locating Maduro, U.S. subject typical operations forces carried retired nan beingness capture.

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Smoke rises from Fort Tiuna, nan main subject garrison successful Caracas, Venezuela, aft aggregate explosions were heard and craft swept done nan area, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Trump told "FOX & Friends Weekend" early Saturday that U.S. subject unit progressive successful nan cognition "did an unthinkable job."

"They rehearsed and practiced for illustration nobody’s ever seen," Trump said. "And I was told by existent subject group that there’s nary different state connected world that could do specified a maneuver."

Trump said he watched nan cognition unfold successful existent time.

"The full maneuver of nan landings, nan number of craft — which were monolithic — nan number of helicopters, different types of helicopters, different types of fighter jets," Trump said. "We had a combatant pitchy for each imaginable situation."

"They conscionable collapsed successful and they collapsed into places that were not really capable to beryllium surgery into," he added. "I’ve ne'er seen thing for illustration it."

Trump said Maduro was wrong a fortified residence but was captured earlier he could scope a unafraid area.

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Maduro and his woman were taken aboard nan USS Iwo Jima and are expected to beryllium transported to nan United States. (Getty Images)

Trump besides said location were injuries during nan cognition but nary U.S. fatalities and nary craft losses.

Maduro and his woman were taken aboard nan USS Iwo Jima and are expected to beryllium transported to nan United States, wherever they could look successful national tribunal successful New York City arsenic soon arsenic Monday, Fox News has learned.

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf, David Spunt, Jennifer Griffin and Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.