What is the ‘Discombobulator’, weapon Trump says US used to capture Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro?

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Donald Trump’s comments about the classified device come amid reports that Venezuelan forces experienced technology failures and incapacitating effects during the operation, which resulted in Maduro’s capture without US casualties.

A woman holds up a photo of ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a rally to demand their release following their capture by U.S. forces during U.S. strikes on Venezuela, in Caracas, Venezuela January 22, 2026. REUTERS/Fausto Torrealba(REUTERS)

President Donald Trump said a secret US military device he referred to as “The Discombobulator” played a decisive role in the January 3 operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Trump said the weapon rendered the enemy’s equipment inoperative during the raid in Caracas.

“The Discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Trump told The New York Post, confirming its use despite saying he could not disclose details.

Trump claimed the device caused enemy systems — including Russian‑ and Chinese‑made rockets — to fail, allowing US forces to enter without facing defensive fire. “They never got their rockets off… they pressed buttons and nothing worked,” Trump was quoted as saying by the news outlet.

Role in the Maduro raid

The US raid in Caracas, part of Operation Absolute Resolve, led to the capture of Maduro, who was flown to the United States to face federal drug and weapons charges. Officials have presented the mission as highly successful, with no American casualties.

Eyewitness eports and weapon effects

After the raid, some accounts emerged from Venezuelan forces suggesting malfunctioning radar systems and incapacitating effects consistent with advanced technology. One former guard recounted that “all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” followed by the appearance of drones and helicopters.

Another account described extreme physical symptoms during the operation, including intense sound waves that caused nosebleeds and vomiting, though these details have not been independently verified.

US and global implications

Maduro’s capture represents a dramatic escalation in US engagement with Venezuela. The former dictator is now being held in a Brooklyn federal jail pending trial, while his vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has been named interim leader of Venezuela.

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