'Discombobulator', a classified device used in the Maduro raid? What we know so far
Classified US weapon reportedly used during the January 3 Caracas raid: What skeptics say
The 'Discombobulator' is a term coined by President Donald Trump to describe a classified US military device reportedly used during the January 3, 2026, raid in Caracas that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Trump claims it disabled enemy equipment, preventing Russian- and Chinese-made missiles from firing and rendering defenses inoperative.
What US media reported
US President Donald Trump told The New York Post and in other interviews that US forces used a secret weapon he called “The Discombobulator” during the Jan. 3 raid in Caracas that led to Maduro’s capture.
He claimed the device disabled Venezuelan equipment, including radar and rockets, so defenders “never got their rockets off.”
Trump said he was “not allowed to talk about it.”
Subsequently, US media described claims of "pulsed-energy" technology.
The Post described the device as a "powerful sonic weapon that brought Venezuelan soldiers to their knees during Maduro raid", citing witness accounts.
Several outlets described the reported weapon as a classified or pulsed-energy system that rendered Venezuelan defenses inoperable during the raid.
Some reports note Trump suggested it made equipment “not work,” and that Maduro’s guards experienced disorientation or unusual effects.
The details remain vague and unverified.
Claimed capabilities
Trump stated the weapon made Venezuelan radar, communications, and missile systems fail suddenly, allowing US helicopters and a small team to swoop in without resistance.
Eyewitness accounts from Maduro's guards describe a powerful sound wave or sonic effect causing nosebleeds, vomiting, nausea, and collapse, incapacitating personnel.
Drones, cybertools
During the raid, US forces allegedly used drones, cyber tools, and this device to "blind" early warning systems (EWS) before inserting troops.
No US casualties occurred, and Maduro was detained on drug and arms charges.
Skepticism
Experts suggest it may combine existing technologies like electronic warfare (jamming radar/GPS), acoustic weapons, or the Active Denial System (pulsed energy beam), rather than a single new invention.
Some officials indicate Trump might be referring to nonkinetic tools like EW or graphite bombs for short-circuiting grids.
Details remain classified, with no official confirmation beyond Trump's comments.
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