Musk’s AI chatbot Grok reportedly encouraged Trump to capture Venezuela’s president

The Pentagon has deployed Grok for military strikes, indicating a new frontier for AI in warfare.

In December 2025, then-President Trump reportedly consulted Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, during a secret meeting. The consultation occurred approximately seven months after Musk departed his role in the Trump administration. According to a source cited by Time magazine, Trump spent several hours interacting with Grok, inquiring about potential Venezuelan reactions to the capture of their president, Nicolás Maduro. This discussion preceded a U.S. invasion of Venezuela in January 2026, which resulted in Maduro's capture. Earlier in 2025, Trump had initiated U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan vessels, and public interest in Venezuela's political climate led users to query Grok. The chatbot allegedly informed Trump that Maduro was an unpopular dictator and his removal would likely be celebrated, a prediction that appeared to hold true following the U.S. invasion. Subsequently, in June 2026, the Pentagon disclosed its use of a government version of Grok for deploying and striking targets during the Iran War. This event underscores Grok's integration into military operations, alongside other AI models from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.

The reported interaction between Trump and Grok, particularly concerning political strategy and potential public reaction in Venezuela, highlights a significant escalation in the perceived utility of AI for high-stakes geopolitical decision-making. If AI chatbots can influence presidential actions or provide intelligence perceived as actionable, it implies a new layer of algorithmic influence on foreign policy and military engagement. This suggests a future where leaders might increasingly rely on AI for counsel, potentially shaping global events based on machine-generated insights and predictions. The dynamic also raises questions about the accountability and vetting processes for AI-driven advice at the highest levels of government.

The Pentagon's disclosure of using Grok for actual military operations, including striking targets, signifies a tangible shift in the adoption of advanced AI within defense sectors. This move positions Grok, and by extension, its developer Elon Musk, as a key player in military AI applications, competing with established players like OpenAI and Anthropic. The involvement of Musk and Palmer Luckey in leading a study on advanced technology in battlefields further cements this trend, indicating a strong governmental interest in leveraging AI for modern warfare. The implications extend to increased investment and development in military-grade AI, potentially altering the landscape of global defense capabilities and introducing new ethical considerations for AI in combat.