Caught On Wrong Foot: Did Copying Trump's Dance Moves Lead To Maduro's Fall?

Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 06:30 IST

Donald Trump noted that even First Lady Melania Trump has expressed her distaste for his own dancing, calling it 'unpresidential'

While Trump celebrated the 'tactical brilliance' of the extraction, he spent a significant portion of his address discussing the aesthetics of Maduro’s performance. (File image)

United States President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was personally offended by captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s recent attempts to mock his signature dancing. Speaking to House Republicans during a retreat at the Trump-Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, the President accused Maduro of imitating his rally moves as a form of “violent" defiance before his eventual capture.

The ‘Rage-Bait’ Dance

The President’s remarks referred to a viral video broadcast on Venezuelan state television in late 2025. In the clip, Maduro was seen grooving to a techno remix of his own mantra, “No War, Yes Peace", while a recorded voice repeated the phrase “No crazy war" in English. The display occurred just days after the US had conducted a strike on a Venezuelan dock and was interpreted by the White House as a deliberate attempt to “call Washington’s bluff".

“He gets up there and he tries to imitate my dance a little bit," Trump told the gathering of lawmakers, drawing laughter from the room. “But he’s a violent guy. He’s a violent guy, and he’s killed millions of people." According to reports from The New York Times, this display of nonchalance was a “tipping point" for the administration, convincing officials that Maduro was no longer deterred by American warnings and necessitating the “Southern Spear" extraction operation.

Surreal Diplomatic Fallout

While the President celebrated the “tactical brilliance" of the extraction, he spent a significant portion of his address discussing the aesthetics of Maduro’s performance. Trump noted that even First Lady Melania Trump has expressed her distaste for his own dancing, calling it “unpresidential". However, the President defended his style, claiming his supporters “go crazy" for it, while framing Maduro’s imitation as a clumsy and provocative act by a desperate dictator.

The commentary has added a surreal layer to the ongoing legal proceedings in New York, where Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently being held. On Monday, a shackled and limping Maduro was arraigned in a Manhattan federal court on charges of narcoterrorism and cocaine trafficking. Critics have labelled Trump’s focus on the dance moves as “thin-skinned", but supporters argue it was the President’s way of highlighting Maduro’s lack of seriousness in the face of escalating military pressure.

Looking Ahead

As Maduro awaits his next court appearance, the focus in Washington has shifted to the future of Venezuelan governance. President Trump reiterated on Tuesday that the US will remain in charge of the country for an indefinite period to ensure a “proper transition" and to repair the nation’s crumbling oil infrastructure.

He warned that any resistance from Maduro’s remaining loyalists or Vice President Delcy Rodríguez would be met with a “second and much larger" wave of military force, asserting that “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again".

News world Caught On Wrong Foot: Did Copying Trump's Dance Moves Lead To Maduro's Fall?

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