At a Glance
- President Donald Trump says the U.S. used a hidden device called The Discombobulator to disable Venezuelan equipment during the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- The president also reiterated a promise to strike drug cartels on land, with potential reach into Central America and Mexico.
- U.S. forces have already conducted 36 strikes on drug-trafficking vessels since early September, killing 117 people.
- Why it matters: Trump’s statements reveal a new layer of U.S. military tactics and an ongoing campaign against drug trafficking that could expand beyond South America.
President Donald Trump made a series of controversial claims during a Friday interview with the New York Post. He said the United States employed a secret weapon he called The Discombobulator to render Venezuelan equipment inoperable during the raid that captured Nicolás Maduro. Trump also renewed his threat to carry out land-based attacks against drug cartels, suggesting the campaign could spread to Central America and Mexico.
Secret Weapon Claims
In the interview, President Donald Trump described the Discombobulator as a pulsed-energy device that “made Venezuelan equipment not work.” He added that the U.S. “pressed buttons and nothing worked” on the rockets that the Venezuelan forces had ready. The president said, “They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off.” He did not disclose how the device operated, noting, “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
The comments follow earlier statements by the president in which he said the U.S. had turned off “almost all of the lights in Caracas” during the raid, though he did not explain the method.
Venezuela Raid Details
The operation that brought Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to New York involved a U.S. military assault on the Venezuelan president’s compound in Caracas. After the raid, both were flown to the United States where they arrived in New York. The president’s remarks highlight the use of advanced technology to incapacitate the Venezuelan military’s launch capabilities.
Continued Strike Campaign
Trump also outlined the U.S. strategy to target drug cartels. He stated, “We know their routes. We know everything about them. We know their homes. We know everything about them, we’re going to hit the cartels.” When asked whether strikes could occur in Central America or Mexico, he replied, “Could be anywhere.”
The U.S. carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, marking the first such action since Maduro’s capture. According to the president, the U.S. has executed 36 known strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, resulting in the deaths of 117 people.
| Strike Count | Location | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Caribbean & Eastern Pacific | 117 |
The president also mentioned the removal of oil from 7 oil tankers connected to Venezuela that the U.S. has seized. He said he could not disclose their current locations but confirmed that the oil was taken away.
Other Policy Remarks
During the same interview, Trump touched on several unrelated policy issues:
- Oil Industry Investment – He stated that U.S. oil companies are prepared to spend $100 billion to restart the industry.
- Nobel Peace Prize – Trump said he was still figuring out where to display the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. The prize had been given to him earlier in the month and was leaning against a statue in the Oval Office.
- Arctic Security Deal – Trump referenced a framework he struck with NATO chief Mark Rutte that would give the U.S. ownership of land where American bases are located. He claimed, “We’ll have everything we want.” However, leaders of Denmark and Greenland stated that sovereignty over the island was non-negotiable, and a NATO spokesperson said Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty.
- Super Bowl Attendance – Trump announced he would not attend the upcoming Super Bowl, calling it a “terrible choice” for Bad Bunny and Green Day to perform at the game.
Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump claims the U.S. used a hidden device called The Discombobulator during the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- The U.S. has conducted 36 drug-trafficking vessel strikes since early September, killing 117 people.
- The president reiterated plans to strike drug cartels on land, potentially expanding into Central America and Mexico.
- Additional policy remarks covered oil investment, a Nobel Peace Prize display, an Arctic security deal, and a decision to skip the Super Bowl.
The interview underscores the administration’s aggressive stance on drug trafficking and hints at the use of advanced technology in military operations, while also revealing a range of unrelated policy positions.
