President Trump reportedly used Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot during a private December 2025 White House meeting to ask how Venezuelans might react if Nicolás Maduro were captured. According to officials cited by Time Magazine, Grok described Maduro as a “deeply unpopular dictator” and predicted many Venezuelans would celebrate his downfall. U.S. forces captured Maduro on Jan. 3, and officials said Trump later called Grok "ingenious." The episode underscores Grok’s expanding use in national security, including a government-configured "Gov Grok" used by the Pentagon.
Trump Asked Elon Musk’s Grok How Venezuelans Would React If Maduro Fell — AI Said Many Would Celebrate
Donald Trump, in a suit and red tie, points at the viewer in front of an American flag. (Credit: Image via Shutterstock)
President Donald Trump reportedly consulted Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX-affiliated team, during a private White House meeting in December 2025 to ask how Venezuelans might react if President Nicolás Maduro were captured, according to reporting by Time Magazine.
What Happened at the Meeting
The meeting — described as a private session between Trump and Musk — lasted several hours and included extensive questioning of Grok about Trump’s presidency and potential consequences of U.S. military actions in Venezuela. At the time, Trump had already authorized strikes on vessels he said were tied to drug trafficking.
What Grok Said
Grok described Maduro as a "deeply unpopular dictator" and suggested many Venezuelans would likely celebrate his downfall, according to an official cited by Time Magazine.
Aftermath and Official Responses
U.S. forces carried out an operation in Venezuela on Jan. 3 that resulted in the capture of Maduro, and officials cited in reporting said the celebrations that followed led Trump to remark that he "came away thinking Grok was ingenious." The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Grok’s Growing Role In National Security
The episode highlights the expanding role of AI in U.S. national security. In June, the Pentagon’s AI chief said the military had used a government-configured version of Grok, called Gov Grok, to assist in deploying forces and striking targets during the Iran war, according to reporting.
Other AI companies are also involved with defense work: OpenAI maintains an agreement with the Pentagon, while Anthropic has faced disputes over restrictions on military use of its technology. Separately, the Pentagon tapped Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to co-lead Project Meridian, a 120-day study to examine future battlefields and the technologies the military may need.
Context And Caution
Officials and media reports provide the basis for these accounts; direct transcripts of the Grok exchange have not been published. As with any reporting that relies on unnamed officials, the details reflect sources familiar with the events and remain subject to confirmation.
Reporting referenced: Time Magazine and Benzinga; the accounts in this article reflect those published reports and statements from officials cited therein.
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