On Saturday, President Donald Trump claimed that a secret weapon was employed during the operation to capture Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 3.
In an interview with The New York Post, Trump mentioned the weapon, referred to as "The Discombobulator," a device he said he is "not allowed to talk about" but which rendered the "enemy team nonfunctional."
However, a senior U.S. official informed CNN that President Trump might have confused several U.S. military tools, merging them into a singular non-existent device.
According to CNN, U.S. Delta forces utilized cyber tools to disable early warning and other defense systems, as well as acoustic systems to disorient personnel on the ground.
CNN also reports that the U.S. military has previously used a heat ray weapon known as the Active Denial System (ADS), which employs directed pulsed energy, but its use in Caracas remains unconfirmed.
The ADS projects an invisible beam of electromagnetic waves with a range of over 800 meters, penetrating human skin to produce a warming sensation that prompts individuals to move away. It is classified as a non-lethal weapon.
Additionally, an expert consulted by CNN suggested that the U.S. might have used loitering munitions to neutralize Venezuelan air defense systems.
The January 3rd Assault
The early hours of January 3, 2026, marked the end of Nicolás Maduro's regime. A sequence of explosions in Caracas signaled the start of "Operation Absolute Resolution," a military deployment ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, culminating in the capture of the Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Shortly after 3 a.m., Venezuelan social media began reporting intense detonations in Caracas. At 3:46 a.m., Maduro publicly accused the United States of a bombing raid, stating, "We have been attacked." An hour later, the regime declared a state of emergency, acknowledging a "severe military aggression."
By 4:36 a.m., Donald Trump officially confirmed the capture of Maduro and Cilia Flores in a "precise operation without American casualties." The mission was carried out by the Delta Force, an elite U.S. Army unit, which stormed the presidential complex where the couple was sleeping.
The assaults demolished key military installations and communication centers of the regime. Reports suggest that Maduro's Cuban security, responsible for his personal protection, was neutralized within minutes, leaving the Chavista intelligence network incapacitated.
Understanding the Operation Against Maduro
What is "The Discombobulator" mentioned by Trump?
Trump referred to a secret weapon called "The Discombobulator," which he claims was used in the operation against Maduro. However, there is no confirmation of its existence, and it may be a misrepresentation of various military technologies.
Did the U.S. use the Active Denial System in Caracas?
While the Active Denial System has been previously used by the U.S. military, its deployment in Caracas during the operation against Maduro has not been confirmed.
How was Maduro's security neutralized?
Maduro's Cuban security was reportedly neutralized swiftly during the operation, leaving the regime's intelligence network without a response.