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President Donald Trump was reportedly encouraged by Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, to carry out his illegal invasion of Venezuela during an hourslong session with the chatbot just weeks before the attack this January.

In December 2025, Trump asked Grok questions for hours during a secret visit to the White House by Musk, per new reporting by Time Magazine.

Trump asked about his legacy and presidency, and wanted the bot’s input on his planned kidnapping of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump was already conducting an illegal boat strike campaign on alleged drug smugglers originating in Venezuela and elsewhere. That month, Trump also began unlawfully seizing Venezuela’s oil tankers.

An official present told Time that Trump asked Grok how Venezuelans would feel if he captured Maduro. The bot “responded that Maduro was a repressive and deeply unpopular dictator and that many Venezuelans would likely celebrate his downfall.”

Trump was impressed with the answer and thought the bot “was ingenious,” the report said. Chat bots like Grok are known for doling out excessive praise to their users.

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The illegal invasion killed 100 people, Venezuelan officials reported, including civilians. People in Caracas described the attack as terrifying, with U.S. aircraft dropping bombs........

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