US officials were misled on the extent of Venezuela's alleged terrorist network in the US, according to hundreds of internal records obtained by Wired. Contrary to public claims made by President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials that Tren de Aragua (TdA) was a "unified terrorist force" operating inside the United States, these documents suggest a more fragmented and localised threat.
Intelligence taskings, law enforcement bulletins, and drug-task-force assessments reveal a lack of clarity on whether TdA even functions as an organised entity in the US. In fact, analysts often cited "intelligence gaps" in understanding how the group operates on US soil. It is unclear if TdA has identifiable leadership, whether its domestic activity reflects any coordination beyond small local crews, or whether US-based incidents are connected to foreign direction.
In a nationwide tasking order issued by national intelligence managers in May 2025, analysts were instructed to urgently address knowledge gaps about the group's size, financing and access to weapons. The directive makes clear that uncertainties extended not just past TdA's past activity but also to its potential response under pressure.
Internal Border Patrol assessments show officials could not substantiate claims made by Trump and other senior administration officials. In contrast, a Fox News interview with US attorney general Pam Bondi claimed that the group was "a foreign arm of the Venezuelan government." However, documents obtained by WIRED reveal that such assertions are unfounded.
The same report highlights internal intelligence community concerns about TdA's classification as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Office of the Director of National Intelligence dismissed an assessment which found no evidence that TdA was directed by the Venezuelan government, describing it as work from "deep state actors" acting with the media.
These reports challenge assertions made by senior administration officials and raise questions about how Tren de Aragua was characterised publicly. It remains unclear whether a unified terrorist network existed in the US or if local gangs used the group's name to exploit opportunities for profit.
The documents also suggest that US-based assessments on the issue were often based on incomplete information, low-confidence language, and vague attribution. The FBI reportedly only identified one confirmed TdA member when investigating retail theft at Walmart jewelry counters in Alabama and Tennessee.
Intelligence taskings, law enforcement bulletins, and drug-task-force assessments reveal a lack of clarity on whether TdA even functions as an organised entity in the US. In fact, analysts often cited "intelligence gaps" in understanding how the group operates on US soil. It is unclear if TdA has identifiable leadership, whether its domestic activity reflects any coordination beyond small local crews, or whether US-based incidents are connected to foreign direction.
In a nationwide tasking order issued by national intelligence managers in May 2025, analysts were instructed to urgently address knowledge gaps about the group's size, financing and access to weapons. The directive makes clear that uncertainties extended not just past TdA's past activity but also to its potential response under pressure.
Internal Border Patrol assessments show officials could not substantiate claims made by Trump and other senior administration officials. In contrast, a Fox News interview with US attorney general Pam Bondi claimed that the group was "a foreign arm of the Venezuelan government." However, documents obtained by WIRED reveal that such assertions are unfounded.
The same report highlights internal intelligence community concerns about TdA's classification as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Office of the Director of National Intelligence dismissed an assessment which found no evidence that TdA was directed by the Venezuelan government, describing it as work from "deep state actors" acting with the media.
These reports challenge assertions made by senior administration officials and raise questions about how Tren de Aragua was characterised publicly. It remains unclear whether a unified terrorist network existed in the US or if local gangs used the group's name to exploit opportunities for profit.
The documents also suggest that US-based assessments on the issue were often based on incomplete information, low-confidence language, and vague attribution. The FBI reportedly only identified one confirmed TdA member when investigating retail theft at Walmart jewelry counters in Alabama and Tennessee.
- Apparently, Trump was wrong about Venezuela's terrorist network again! Hundreds of internal records are revealing that there might not be a unified terrorist force in the US after all... instead it looks like some local crews just used the group's name for their own gain 
. I mean, who knew TdA wasn't even a real entity? 
The fact that analysts didn't know what they were doing is pretty scary though... and now we're questioning how many TdA members are out there 
. One confirmed member? At Walmart jewelry counters in Alabama and Tennessee? That's wild 
just thinking about this makes me realize how important it is to fact-check and not jump to conclusions 
the whole thing around TdA is a perfect example of how easily misinformation can spread and cause harm 
we gotta be careful with our words and the info we share, 'cause once something gets out there, it's hard to get it back in 
don't let anyone tell you what to believe without questioning the facts 
. Time for some real accountability and transparency, if you ask me 
. First they say it's a unified terrorist force, then suddenly it's just a bunch of local crews with no direction. And where are these crew members supposed to be gettin' their guns from? We need more transparency here! 
. These documents are just the tip of the iceberg, I'm sure there's more where these came from...
I mean, come on! So Venezuela's alleged terrorist network in the US was actually just a bunch of guys trying to sell some fake diamonds at Walmart 
. I guess the FBI found one confirmed member... who was also allegedly involved in retail theft 
. That's like saying a whole gang is held together by one person who can't even keep a job 
. And what's with the "foreign arm of the Venezuelan government" claim? Sounds like someone's been binge-watching too many Bond movies 
. It's wild to think that some of our top officials might have been misled on the extent of a supposed terrorist network. I mean, we're talking about national security here 
. If the intel was sketchy at best, then how did it even make its way into public statements from the president and other high-ranking officials? 
.
. I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but we need to make sure we're not jumping to conclusions or relying on incomplete info 
. We should be focusing on getting the facts straight and building trust with our law enforcement agencies 
. The fact that analysts are still unsure if TdA even functions as an organized entity in the US is pretty wild 
I guess this is why they say you can't trust what you hear in politics – especially when it comes to national security 
.
. Fragmented and localized threat, yeah sure, that sounds about right to me 
, where everyone's passing on incomplete info and hoping no one calls them out 
. And to think that some officials were making claims about TdA being a "foreign arm of the Venezuelan government" without any concrete evidence? That's just irresponsible communication 
.
. It looks like all those claims about Tren de Aragua being a unified terrorist force? totally made up 
. They had no idea what they were talking about, and it's kinda crazy that some officials were trying to spin this into something more than it was 
. And now we know that the intelligence community thought TdA wasn't really connected to the Venezuelan government at all... it was like some deep state actors or whatever 
.
. Maybe now we can finally get some real info about what's really going on with TdA? 
this is so frustrating... all those officials lying about TdA being a major terrorist network in the US 
... how can you trust the government when they can't even tell the truth about something as serious as terrorism? 
and what really gets me is that they're still trying to classify TdA as a FTO despite the lack of evidence 
... we need to be more vigilant and critical of our government's actions and statements 
... anyone else feel this way? 