Grok reportedly advised Trump before the operation to capture Maduro

President Donald Trump reportedly asked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot how Venezuelans would respond if the United States captured Nicolás Maduro, roughly a month before US forces carried out the operation that removed the Venezuelan president. The conversation took place during a private December 2025 meeting between Trump and Musk in the Oval Office, according to a Time Magazine report citing an official who was present. Trump spent hours asking Grok questions about his presidency, legacy and other issues. At the time, Trump was already ordering strikes against Venezuelan boats that his administration alleged were involved in drug trafficking. Trump asked Grok specifically how Venezuelans might react if the US captured Maduro. According to Time’s source, the chatbot characterized Maduro as repressive and deeply unpopular and said many Venezuelans would likely celebrate his removal. The report does not establish that Grok recommended the operation or that its response determined Trump’s decision. It shows that the president consulted the chatbot about the potential public reaction before ordering the January raid. US forces captured Maduro during an operation in Caracas the following mo...