Wens and Gabbard Not Involved in Maduro's Arrest Operation: Bloomberg

The head of U.S. National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was not involved in the preparation process for the multi-month operation aimed at arresting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to a report by Bloomberg agency.

The agency highlights that on January 1, Gabbard posted a photo on social media platform X where she was relaxing on the ocean shore. Reportedly, Maduro's arrest took place on the night of January 3. At that time, Gabbard's whereabouts were not officially reported. Both she and U.S. Vice President Jay D. Wens were absent from photographs released by the White House, which showed Donald Trump and his administration closely monitoring the operation.

According to the publication's sources, Gabbard was not involved in the preparatory works for Maduro's arrest due to her previously expressed stance against military operations in Venezuela. The White House had concerns that she might not support such an operation. It is noted that back in 2019, while serving as a congresswoman for the Democratic Party, Gabbard stated that the U.S. should stay away from Venezuela and criticized those who draw the U.S. into conflicts in December 2025.

At the same time, a White House representative denied these reports in a comment to the agency. Vice President Jay D. Wens also stated that neither he nor Gabbard were removed from the preparation for the multi-month operation to arrest Maduro. An anonymous senior intelligence source added that Gabbard provided some data that was useful during the mission; however, this information was analytical in nature rather than operational.