U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly described the use of a secret weapon referred to as the “Discombobulator” during a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in early January 2026.
In a recent interview with The New York Post, Trump said he was “not allowed to talk about it,” but asserted that the Discombobulator was a sonic or energy‑based weapon that disabled Venezuelan military equipment, preventing hostile forces from launching rockets against U.S. forces during the assault. He claimed the device was so effective that enemy rockets “never got one off.”
Trump did not provide technical details about the weapon, but emphasised that it “made equipment not work,” suggesting its role was to neutralise defensive systems without conventional kinetic engagement.
The term “Discombobulator” is not a recognised designation for any publicly known U.S. military weapon system. Analysts caution that Trump may have been referring informally to a suite of technologies, such as pulsed energy, directed‑energy systems, cyber tools, or electronic warfare capabilities, rather than a single classified device.
Publicly available experts note that there is no independent verification of a novel sonic weapon, and effects attributed to such systems could also arise from other counter-defence measures or conventional tactics.
Reports linked to the operation suggest that Venezuelan equipment, including radar and defensive hardware, failed to respond effectively during the mission, prompting speculation about electronic disruption or advanced warfare technologies.
While Trump’s comments have drawn global attention, U.S. officials have not confirmed the existence or operational use of a weapon formally called the Discombobulator. The Pentagon and the White House declined immediate public comment, and details about specific systems used in the raid remain classified or unverified outside the president’s remarks.
The assertion comes amid broader reporting on the 2026 U.S. intervention in Venezuela, where forces carried out strikes, electronic warfare, and special operations to capture Maduro, actions that have drawn both domestic and international scrutiny.
