President Trump said on Saturday that the United States will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” takes place.

Trump’s remarks follow a U.S. military operation resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

United States To “Run” Venezuela Until “Judicious Transition,” President Trump Says

Reporters asked Trump if that means U.S. troops will be on the ground in Venezuela.

"Does the U.S. running the country mean that U.S. troops will be on the ground? How will that work?" one reporter asked.

"We are not afraid of boots on the ground," Trump replied.

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"We had boots on the ground last night," he continued.

"We're going to make sure that country is run properly. We're not doing this in vain. This was a very dangerous attack," Trump added.

"We're going to run the country right. It's going to be run very judiciously, very fairly. It's going to make a lot of money. We're going to give money to the people. We're going to reimburse people who were taken advantage of. We're going to take care of everybody," he continued.

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Trump, during an interview with Fox News before the press conference, said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were placed on the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, to be taken to New York, and they were removed from Venezuela by helicopter.

The U.S. had for months built a large force of Navy and special operations forces off Venezuela’s coast. The force includes the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and strike group, the Iwo Jima and thousands of Marines.

Trump said the U.S. wanted to conduct the operation four days ago but waited until they “had the perfect weather.” No U.S. forces were killed but one aircraft was hit as well as a “couple of guys.”

“It was just the right time to do it. We had to do it,” the president said.

CBS News reported the Army’s elite Delta Force was involved in the operation.

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According to the New York Post, Trump said in an interview that U.S. troops won't be stationed in Venezuela as long as the country's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, "does what we want."

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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.”

Rodriguez has been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim leader, Trump said at his press conference. In a televised address after the attack, Rodriguez called for “the immediate liberation” of Maduro and his wife Celia Flores, saying “President Nicolas Maduro” is the “only president of Venezuela.”

She left the door open to working with Trump administration, while seeking to calm internal divisions.

“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).”

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The Trump-ordered surprise mission in Venezuela was conducted around 2 a.m. local time featuring more than 150 military aircraft — knocking out the power in Caracas before special operators captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both of whom will face federal drug-smuggling charges.

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