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Musk's AI Chatbot Advised Trump on Venezuela Invasion
Developing
In Short: Elon Musk's Grok chatbot reportedly encouraged Trump to capture Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro.
In December 2025, President Trump reportedly met with Elon Musk to discuss the use of Musk's Grok chatbot, which had been queried about Venezuela's political climate and boat strikes.
During their meeting, Trump spent hours conversing with Grok, asking how Venezuelans would react to the capture of their president, Nicolás Maduro.
According to sources, Grok advised Trump that Maduro was a 'deeply unpopular dictator' and that many Venezuelans would likely celebrate his downfall.
Following the U.S. invasion of Venezuela on January 3, 2026, and the subsequent celebrations, Trump reportedly praised Grok for its insights.
In June, the Pentagon's AI chief revealed that Grok was used to deploy and strike targets during the Iran War, indicating the chatbot's expanded military role.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that Musk and Palmer Luckey of Anduril would co-lead a study on advanced technology use in battlefields.
Musk had left his role in the Trump administration at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seven months prior to this announcement.
What this adds
The Pentagon's decision to involve Musk and Luckey in the study underscores the growing reliance on advanced technology in military operations.
The extent to which Grok's advice influenced Trump's decision-making process remains unclear.
What's still developing
- When such celebrations indeed happened after the U.S. invaded on January 3, Trump apparently “came away thinking Grok was ingenious,” that source told Time.