Fort Bragg (United States) (AFP) - President Donald Trump boasted to US troops on Friday about a secret weapon, the "discombobulator", which can jam Russian and Chinese defense systems, and which was used in the powerful military operation in Venezuela.
First modification: 02/13/2026 - 14:23 Last modification: 02/13/2026 - 21:49
It is the first time that Trump has evoked that mysterious weapon at a public event, after having let some details slip in previous interviews.
The operation that ended with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was a total success, Trump boasted.
"There is even talk of the 'discombobulator,' because they didn't manage to fire a single shot," Trump told the soldiers at the Fort Bragg base (North Carolina), referring to the blockade of a large part of Venezuela's defensive systems during the January 3 incursion.
"The Russian team didn't work. The Chinese team didn't work. Everyone is trying to figure out why it didn't work. One day they will know," he said with a smile.
Trump, who was accompanied by his wife Melania, addressed soldiers and military families before meeting behind closed doors with special forces troops involved in the raid. in Caracas and other regions of Venezuela.
Eighty-three people were killed and more than 112 wounded during the assault, which began with US bombings against Venezuelan military targets.
No U.S. service members were killed, but Trump said three helicopter pilots were seriously injured.
Maduro is detained in New York, where he faces charges of drug trafficking and other crimes, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
His next court hearing is scheduled for March 17.
The US president has repeatedly praised the operation against Maduro as an example of his country's military power, especially in imposing a dominant position in Latin America and the Caribbean.
© 2026 AFP
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