A Pentagon contractor’s reckless leak of classified military plans to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro nearly sabotaged a critical national security operation and endangered American lives, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed in explosive Senate testimony.
Contractor Betrayal Threatened Critical Mission
Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that a Pentagon contractor leaked classified plans for the military operation targeting Nicolás Maduro to a Washington Post reporter. The contractor was subsequently indicted for sharing sensitive information that detailed Operation Absolute Resolve before its January 3 execution.
Federal agents searched the reporter’s home during the investigation, though the story never published. Rubio emphasized the leak demonstrated exactly why the Trump administration couldn’t brief Congress beforehand, as wider notification circles increase security vulnerabilities that could derail missions or endanger American servicemembers deployed in hostile territory.
Delta Force Executed Precision Caracas Raid
Operation Absolute Resolve culminated in the early morning hours of January 3, when approximately 200 U.S. special forces troops executed a coordinated assault on Maduro’s Caracas stronghold. The mission incorporated cyberattacks, limited precision bombing, and a Delta Force ground raid that resulted in a 27-minute firefight before successfully capturing the Venezuelan leader, and planning was finalized in late December 2025 after failed diplomatic negotiations, with rehearsals confirming operational feasibility. The trigger-based nature meant precise conditions had to align perfectly, making advance congressional notification impractical according to administration officials. President Trump authorized the raid as a national security action against a foreign leader indicted on U.S. drug trafficking charges, not an act of war.
Congressional Tension Over Executive War Powers
Bipartisan senators challenged Rubio’s justification for excluding congressional notification, despite the rehearsal time that Senator Chris Coons argued would allow consultation opportunities. Senator Rand Paul bluntly called the raid an “act of war” and dismissed drug charges as a “ruse” for regime change, demanding congressional approval for military actions.
Democrats questioned constitutional boundaries while Republican Senator James Risch defended the limited operation’s success. The hearing exposed familiar tensions between executive branch operational security priorities and legislative war powers responsibilities. Rubio walked back threats of further military action while defending the decision, framing Maduro’s illegitimate status as removing traditional wartime considerations and emphasizing America’s enhanced safety with the corrupt leader removed.
New Venezuela Leadership Raises DEA Concerns
Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez now leads the country despite being on the DEA radar since 2018 for involvement in drug trafficking and gold smuggling operations similar to Maduro’s corrupt network. The Trump administration committed to stabilizing Venezuela through cooperation with interim authorities, though Rodríguez publicly rebuked perceived U.S. control with her “Enough already” statement.
This pragmatic shift from outright hostility toward Maduro to working with another suspected criminal reflects the administration’s priority of dismantling Venezuela’s drug-fueled corruption, regardless of imperfect transitional partners. The U.S. views regime change as disrupting smuggling networks that threatened American communities, though unresolved questions remain about long-term Venezuelan stability and whether the interim government represents genuine reform or continuity of criminal enterprises under different leadership.
'It Was Leaked!' – Rubio Says Pentagon Contractor Leaked Maduro Capture Plans to the Media (VIDEO) https://t.co/KKq2aQjppb #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— Slainte (@slaintedub) January 28, 2026
The contractor’s indictment sends a clear message about protecting classified operations from leakers who prioritize media attention over national security. Defense contracting faces stricter enforcement, while journalism confronts increased risks when handling sensitive government information, as demonstrated by federal agents searching the reporter’s residence. Media outlets showed notable restraint in reporting on the raid, suggesting awareness of operational sensitivities.
This precedent for unbriefed trigger-based operations may reshape future special forces missions, though it intensifies debates about executive overreach and congressional war powers that transcend partisan divisions. For Americans frustrated with bureaucratic dysfunction and security threats from foreign drug traffickers, the successful Maduro capture demonstrates decisive action, though constitutional guardrails remain a legitimate concern even when targeting corrupt dictators.
Sources:
The Latest: Rubio walks back threats of more military action in Venezuela – NBC Right Now
Rubio says Maduro capture was ‘trigger-based operation’ – Washington Examiner
The Latest: Rubio walks back threats of more military action in Venezuela – Las Vegas Sun
Media shows restraint on breaking news of Venezuela raid – TPR