In what could only be called the biggest “performative stunt” of the year, Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Bondi has announced the reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the Venezuelan President.
In the typical fashion of the Trump administration, where everything is done with an idea of optics rather than intellect, the announcement was made with dramatic flair. However, it quickly became the subject of ridicule online. And that resulted in the sarcastic phrase “He’s in Venezuela” trend across platforms.
There is a video of Pam Bondi posted on X where she can be seen speaking and accusing Maduro. She has accused Maduro of being at the helm of a vast drug trafficking network and claimed that he has links to the Cartel de los Soles and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.
She described him as “one of the most corrupt, destructive, and dangerous dictators in the world,” and has accused him of flooding the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine.
Today, @TheJusticeDept and @StateDept are announcing a $50 MILLION REWARD for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. pic.twitter.com/D8LNqjS9yk
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 7, 2025
The Donald Trump administration has also doubled the award on Maduro from what the Biden administration had offered and made the bounty $50 million. It is a part of a revived push to pressure Maduro and also signals the Trump campaign’s hardline stance on international crime.
Bondi has claimed that federal agencies have already seized over 30 tons of cocaine and more than $700 million linked to the alleged network.
“We’re not going to stop until Maduro is behind bars,” she said.
But the internet wasn’t buying it. Just as Bondi’s video went live, users began mocking the offer.
“He’s in Venezuela… where’s my check?” one viral post quipped.
The phrase then became a meme of the day as social media users pointed out the obvious that Maduro’s location isn’t exactly a mystery. He has been governing openly in Caracas and makes frequent appearances on state-run media broadcasts.
He’s in Venezuela and Trump is in the Epstein pedophile files.
Where’s my $50 million? https://t.co/G4kL9uuznA— Helis Bor (@helisbor) August 8, 2025
The Trump administration’s actions have been mocked by people on both sides of the aisle and are being called political theater. His effort to strong-arm a foreign leader in order to showcase how Donald Trump does not take civilians lightly falls severely short when he didn’t visit the family of Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman when she and her husband were shot dead by a MAGA fanatic.
All the rhetoric and optics do not bring him the standing of a true leader when he doesn’t care about lawmakers under his government and spends his day playing golf.
Venezuelan officials were even more scathing and were less forgiving. Foreign Minister Yván Gil called the reward a “pathetic propaganda operation.” He said the efforts are designed to distract from scandals involving Pam Bondi herself. He also included her alleged mishandling of unsealed files related to Jeffrey Epstein when scathingly talking down about the Trump administration’s action.
‘PATHETIC & RIDICULOUS’ — #venezuelan FM Yván Gil over ‘BOUNTY’ on Prez #Maduro
Saying it’s the ‘most ridiculous SMOKESCREEN we have ever seen’ in response to AG Bondi
US administrations don’t know how to ‘not meddle’ in the politics of others countries. pic.twitter.com/qU6QDdft9v
— Michael Ashura (@MichaelAshura) August 8, 2025
“This is not about justice,” Gil said in a press briefing. “It’s about smoke and mirrors.”
The Independent also highlighted how weak and pathetic the US government looks when it offers a reward for someone whose location is already known.
“The U.S. government knows exactly where Maduro is,” said one intelligence analyst. “The problem is not finding him. It’s reaching him without starting a war.”
The backlash shows that the strategy may be backfiring.
“Bondi wanted to look strong,” tweeted one political commentator. “Instead, she made the entire Trump team look ridiculous.”
🇻🇪U.S. doubles bounty on Maduro to $50M. Caracas fires back, calling it “pathetic” and “ridiculous.” Washington’s chase looks more like theater than justice. #Venezuela #Maduro pic.twitter.com/v7NixRimfv
— Autumn🍨 (@Autumn_oor) August 8, 2025
It is yet to be seen if the reward announcement has any effect or not and if it leads to any actionable intelligence. For now, it’s clear that the stunt did more to boost memes than national security.
