Report: Grok AI Advised Trump on Venezuela Strategy Before Military Action

A recent report indicates that President Donald Trump consulted Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, prior to ordering military strikes and the eventual invasion of Venezuela in early 2026. According to Time magazine, Trump held a private meeting with Musk in December 2025, approximately one month before U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This meeting occurred roughly seven months after Musk departed his position at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

During the session, Trump reportedly spent several hours interacting with Grok. He asked the AI model how Venezuelan citizens would likely react to the removal of their leader. Sources familiar with the interaction stated that Grok described Maduro as a “deeply unpopular dictator” and predicted that many Venezuelans would welcome his downfall.

This inquiry followed a series of U.S. military strikes ordered by Trump in September 2025 against boats alleged to be involved in drug trafficking. At the time, reports from The Atlantic noted that users were frequently asking Grok about the political climate and the naval operations in the region.

The prediction made by the chatbot appeared to align with events after the January 3 invasion, where celebrations were observed among some exiles and locals. A source told Time that Trump was impressed by the accuracy of Grok’s analysis, viewing the AI as “ingenious.”

The incident highlights the growing integration of commercial AI tools into high-level military and political decision-making. Earlier this year, the Pentagon’s head of AI confirmed that Grok was utilized during the Iran War for target deployment and strike coordination. While other models from OpenAI and Anthropic also serve the Department of Defense, Grok’s utility in this conflict has strengthened its position within the current administration.

Additionally, the Pentagon recently announced that Musk and Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey have been appointed to co-lead a study on the application of advanced technology in modern combat zones.