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CNN Fears Maduro's Capture Will Start WWIII, Compares U.S. to Russia
Just hours after the United States stunned the world by having Delta Force swoop into Venezuela and arrest dictator Nicolas Maduro without losing a single American in the daring raid, CNN’s Erin Burnett spent hours Saturday clutching her pearls about what could happen next. CNN hinted at the possible start to WWII, suggested it would embolden China and Russia, and straight up compared the raid to Russia invading Ukraine.
Taking over the time slot usually reserved for The Amanpour Hour, Burnett was speaking with CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger when she shared concerns the raid could embolden America’s adversaries:
So this is all there is for the world to look at. How does an image like this land, with XI Jinping, with Vladimir Putin with, you know, in autocracies and dictatorships around the world that are looking at this moment as perhaps a crucial precedent for where we are headed, what does this image and what do they see in it?
Either ignorant of the fact that Russia had already tried to capture and/or assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy multiple times, or trying to hide that fact, Sanger claimed the U.S.’s raid could give America’s adversaries the green light to do it too:
But I think the more they think about it, the more they may give thought to what the precedent enables them to do. I mean, if it turns out that the United States can get away with doing this, could President Putin attempt this with President Zelenskyy, who he has declared is a, you know, a criminal? Could, China's leaders do this with the president of Taiwan, which China has declared is a breakaway province.
So, I think on the one hand, it shows you the huge reach of the American military. On the other hand, it creates a precedent others could well abuse.
New York Times' David Sanger clownish worries arresting Maduro sets a bad precedent and Putin will attempt to do the same to Zelenskyy.
But Putin has already tried to kill Zelenskyy several times. pic.twitter.com/n4SX0iMyiD
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 3, 2026
There was an envoy of Chinese official in Caracas, Venezuela to meet with Maduro and strengthen ties. They were able to bear witness to the power, might, swiftness, and precision of the U.S. military up close.
Later in the day, during CNN Newsroom, Burnett was speaking with unhinged Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) when she seemed to hint that taking Maduro into custody and making him stand trial would spark a wider conflict with China and Russia, which would be World War III:
What do you think is really at stake here, Congressman Moulton? If you look at any country in this hemisphere and say, what is - what is more of a, of a potential spark point, it'd be hard to find one more than Venezuela. Or, I just mentioned China is the biggest buyer of the oil. Russia also has a notable presence.
Burnett decries the Monroe Doctrine and suggests Trump is going spark WWIII with China and Russia by capturing Maduro. pic.twitter.com/enbNRKpBwG
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 3, 2026
By the afternoon, Burnett was trying to draw similarities between the U.S. pulling off an in-and-out mission to bag one man to Russia invading and occupying Ukraine for years:
Nick, you know, look, these – Moments like this - I think back to moments where, you know, you and I were in Ukraine when that war began. There's a - there's a sense of shock and pause of ‘did this just happen,’ then a realization, then ‘it did.’ And then you breathe out and you start to see what it really means. Okay? And I don't know where we are in that process right now. But world leaders are also raising that question.
What are you hearing right now? You know, we talk about the dollars and cents, the black and white of it, of Russia's presence there and China's presence there. But that's black and white on paper. What's actually happening now in those rooms?
International security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh actually tapped the breaks slightly and noted there was a huge difference when it came to intent. “I think the comparison here with Ukraine is at least Putin's intentions were very clear, which was to occupy militarily as much of Ukraine as he could,” he noted.
CNN’s Erin Burnett seemingly compares the U.S. nabbing Maduro to Russia invading and occupying Ukraine.
Her guest had to point out the difference of intention between the two countries. pic.twitter.com/idIP89R2ko
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 3, 2026
Where was all this concern about international fallout when President Obama sent troops into Pakistan to get Osama bin Laden? Both raids were good things.
The transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read:
CNN’s The Amanpour Hour
January 3, 2026
11:36:35 a.m. Eastern
(…)
ERIN BURNETT: So this is all there is for the world to look at. How does an image like this land, with XI Jinping, with Vladimir Putin with, you know, in autocracies and dictatorships around the world that are looking at this moment as perhaps a crucial precedent for where we are headed, what does this image and what do they see in it? David
DAVID SANGER: Great question, Erin. I mean, on the one hand, it shows the ability of the United States to get through multiple layers of security and grab an authoritarian leader. So, that's the downside for them.
But I think the more they think about it, the more they may give thought to what the precedent enables them to do. I mean, if it turns out that the United States can get away with doing this, could President Putin attempt this with President Zelenskyy, who he has declared is a, you know, a criminal? Could, China's leaders do this with the president of Taiwan, which China has declared is a breakaway province.
So, I think on the one hand, it shows you the huge reach of the American military. On the other hand, it creates a precedent others could well abuse.
(…)
CNN Newsroom
12:56:38 p.m. Eastern
BURNETT: [T]here was something he said at the beginning, which I want to come back to. And that was when he specifically and explicitly brought up the Monroe Doctrine. Right, which was the doctrine set up under – that gave the United States control over this hemisphere. Right? And that he was going to reassert that, and then he called it the Donroe Doctrine, obviously, playing off of his own name.
What do you think is really at stake here, Congressman Moulton? If you look at any country in this hemisphere and say, what is what is more of a, of a potential spark point, it'd be hard to find one more than Venezuela. Or, I just mentioned China is the biggest buyer of the oil. Russia also has a notable presence.
(…)
3:09:37 p.m. Eastern
BURNETT: Nick, you know, look, these – Moments like this - I think back to moments where, you know, you and I were in Ukraine when that war began. There's a - there's a sense of shock and pause of ‘did this just happen,’ then a realization, then ‘it did.’ And then you breathe out and you start to see what it really means. Okay?And I don't know where we are in that process right now. But world leaders are also raising that question.
What are you hearing right now? You know, we talk about the dollars and cents, the black and white of it, of Russia's presence there and China's presence there. But that's black and white on paper. What's actually happening now in those rooms?
NICK PATON WALSH: Yeah. I mean, I think the comparison here with Ukraine is at least Putin's intentions were very clear, which was to occupy militarily as much of Ukraine as he could.
(…)
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