Trump pledges rapid U.S. response for Venezuela after historic earthquakes kill hundreds

President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to deploy U.S. resources to earthquake-stricken Venezuela after back-to-back tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck near the country's northern coast, flattening buildings in the capital Caracas and prompting a state of emergency.

“The U.S. stands ready, willing, and able to help,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday evening stateside. The president added that he had instructed all government agencies to prepare to “move quickly,” calling Venezuela's people the “new and great friends.”

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said earlier in the day that the U.S. was in touch with Venezuelan authorities and has been mobilizing assistance for the South American nation.

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency in a national address on Wednesday night, and later said at least 164 people were killed and 971 were injured, according to Reuters.

The State Department has already mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to deliver and coordinate critical assistance to Venezuelans, including search and rescue teams, medical supplies, and humanitarian resources, according to senior State Department official Jeremy Lewin.

In a video message posted on X Thursday morning, Rodriguez thanked the Trump administration for providing “support and solidarity,” and the Dominican Republic for sending rescue teams to Venezuela.

China and Brazil have sent humanitarian aid to the country, she said, and the Qatar government has prepared a rescue brigade set to arrive Thursday.