At a Glance
- President Donald Trump claims the U.S. used a hidden energy weapon, “The Discombobulator,” during the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- He warned of continued military strikes on drug cartels across the Americas, including Mexico.
- The U.S. has carried out at least 36 strikes on drug-trafficking boats, killing 117 people.
- Seven Venezuelan-connected oil tankers have been stripped of their cargo, and U.S. oil companies are ready to invest $100 billion to restart production.
- Why it matters: The comments reveal a new U.S. approach to countering Venezuelan influence and drug trafficking, with implications for regional security and international law.
President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. used a hidden energy weapon, “The Discombobulator,” during the capture of Nicolás Maduro. He said the device made Venezuelan rockets fail to launch. Trump had previously said the U.S. turned off “almost all of the lights in Caracas” during the raid, but he did not explain how that was achieved.
Discombobulator Weapon
During the interview, Trump described a pulsed energy weapon the U.S. allegedly used to disable Venezuelan equipment. “They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off,” he said. “We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us.”
Maduro Capture
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken to New York after being seized in Caracas during a U.S. military operation. The capture was part of a broader campaign to curb drug trafficking.
Drug Cartel Strikes
The U.S. carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, the first such action since Maduro’s capture. This marks at least 36 known strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, killing 117 people.
| Strike Count | Location | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Caribbean & Eastern Pacific | 117 |
Trump said the U.S. will continue its campaign of military strikes and could extend it from South America into North America. “We know their routes. We know everything about them. We know their homes. We know everything about them,” he said. When asked if the strikes could occur in Central America or Mexico, Trump said, “Could be anywhere.”
Oil Tankers
Trump said the U.S. has removed the oil aboard seven oil tankers connected to Venezuela that it has seized, but he would not reveal where the ships are now. “I’m not allowed to tell you,” he said. “But let’s put it this way, they don’t have any oil. We take the oil.”
| Tankers Seized | Oil Removed | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Yes | Unknown |
President Donald Trump said U.S. oil companies are prepared to spend $100 billion to get the industry going.
Nobel Peace Prize
During the interview, Trump mentioned he was still trying to figure out where to hang the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. She had given the prize to him earlier this month, and it was leaning against a statue in the Oval Office.
Arctic Security Deal
Trump also discussed a framework of an Arctic security deal he struck with NATO chief Mark Rutte. He said the agreement would give the U.S. ownership of the land where American bases are located. “We’ll have everything we want. We have some interesting talks going on.” The deal’s details remain unclear, as leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said the island’s sovereignty is non-negotiable, and a NATO spokesperson said Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty.
Super Bowl Comment
Trump said he would not attend the Super Bowl and called it a “terrible choice” for Bad Bunny and Green Day to perform at the game. He had attended last year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump claims the U.S. used a secret energy weapon, “The Discombobulator,” during Maduro’s capture.
- The U.S. has carried out at least 36 strikes on drug-trafficking boats, killing 117 people.
- Seven Venezuelan-connected oil tankers have been stripped of their cargo, and U.S. oil companies are ready to invest $100 billion.
- Trump’s comments touch on drug cartel strikes, an Arctic security deal with NATO, and a Nobel Peace Prize he received from María Corina Machado.
- He declined to attend the Super Bowl, criticizing the choice of performers.
