John Bolton isn't pulling punches when it comes to the Trump administration's Venezuela policy. The former national security adviser says the president is "very confused" about what happens next in Caracas now that Nicolás Maduro is in U.S. custody, and that confusion is driving some questionable decisions.

Bolton: Trump Doesn't Understand Venezuela's Political Reality

Speaking with host Kate Bolduan on CNN Tuesday, Bolton was blunt about where things stand. "I don't think he understands anything about what we just talked about," he said, referring to the complexities of Venezuela's post-Maduro transition. Trump "is very confused" about who should lead the country and how power should transfer, according to Bolton.

The criticism centers on Trump's public skepticism of María Corina Machado, the internationally recognized opposition leader who has resisted Maduro's authoritarian rule. Trump has questioned whether she has enough support to actually govern, a position Bolton suggests reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of Venezuela's political landscape.

The Warning: You Can't Just Remove Maduro And Call It Done

Bolton took to X on Tuesday to drive home a critical point: getting rid of Maduro is just step one. "The rest of the Maduro regime remains in place in Venezuela," he wrote, emphasizing that the entire system of power is still intact.

"The White House must support the opposition, or the narcoterrorism and coordination with our adversaries will only continue," Bolton added. His concern is that by not engaging directly with Venezuela's democratic opposition, the administration is essentially "giving legitimacy to an illegitimate regime"—meaning officials still operating under Maduro-era institutions.

Meanwhile, Maduro Faces Charges And Trump Eyes Oil

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty Monday in Manhattan federal court to drug trafficking charges. Their capture came via U.S. military operation, and their lawyer is preparing what sounds like an aggressive defense, potentially arguing military abduction and immunity as a foreign leader.

Trump, for his part, claims Venezuela's interim authorities will ship 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude to the U.S., with proceeds controlled by him to benefit both countries. He's already instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to move immediately on the plan. And he issued a warning to interim leader Vice President Delcy Rodriguez: fail to cooperate and face consequences "worse than Maduro."

Bolton's basic argument is that you can't just swap one person for another and expect Venezuela's problems to disappear. The whole regime infrastructure is still there, and without backing the democratic opposition, the U.S. risks simply legitimizing a new version of the same authoritarian playbook.