Tren de Aragua, a ruthless Venezuelan gang, is reportedly operating with backing from Nicolas Maduro’s regime, according to top U.S. intelligence officials.
Just The News reported that the FBI and Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed that this criminal organization, notorious for violence and trafficking, is working with Venezuela’s government. Their claims counter leaked reports suggesting otherwise, sparking a Justice Department probe into the leaks.
In February 2025, the Trump administration labeled Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization. Classified leaks, reported by outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times, suggested some U.S. intelligence agencies doubted a direct link between the gang and Maduro’s regime.
These leaks, deemed illegal by officials, prompted fierce pushback from FBI Director Kash Patel and ODNI Director Tulsi Gabbard. The Washington Post cited a National Intelligence Council assessment from early February 2025, which found no evidence that Maduro’s government directs Tren de Aragua’s actions in the U.S.
The report noted only low-level contacts between the gang and Venezuelan officials. The New York Times echoed this, stating an intelligence report concluded the gang operates independently, with “moderate” confidence in the findings.
The FBI stood apart, asserting a “moderate level of cooperation” between Tren de Aragua and Maduro’s regime. Unlike other agencies, the FBI maintained the gang’s ties to Venezuela’s government based on evidence others dismissed. This dissent fueled tensions within the intelligence community, as officials accused leakers of undermining national security.
In late February 2025, the New York Times reported the FBI’s partial dissent, highlighting the agency’s belief in the gang’s connections to Maduro. Gabbard, Patel, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe testified before the House Intelligence Committee in March 2025, reaffirming these ties. Their testimony aimed to clarify the gang’s operations and counter misleading narratives from the leaks.
In March 2025, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, claiming Tren de Aragua members illegally entered the U.S. and waged “irregular warfare.”
The executive order alleged the gang collaborates with the Cártel de los Soles, a Maduro-linked narco-terrorism group. This move intensified efforts to deport gang members, despite legal challenges.
Judge James Boasberg ruled on March 15, 2025, that the Alien Enemies Act does not apply to Tren de Aragua deportations, as gangs are not a “nation.”
The Justice Department countered that the gang’s ties to Maduro’s regime qualify it as a de facto governing entity in parts of Venezuela. This legal dispute continues to shape the administration’s immigration strategy.
A senior intelligence official likened Maduro’s support for Tren de Aragua to the Taliban’s protection of al-Qaeda. The official highlighted the gang’s violent U.S. activities, including murders, rapes, and human trafficking. These actions, the official claimed, thrive due to the sanctuary provided by Venezuela’s government.
The ODNI praised Trump’s deportation efforts over the weekend before April 25, 2025, stating they enhanced U.S. safety. The agency accused “deep-state actors” of spreading propaganda to weaken Trump’s policies. This rhetoric underscored the administration’s distrust of dissenting intelligence assessments.
On April 21, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of over two dozen Tren de Aragua members. She described the gang as a “highly structured terrorist organization” engaged in violence and drug trafficking. The arrests targeted key figures, signaling a crackdown on the gang’s U.S. operations.
Two days later, the Justice Department charged Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, an alleged high-ranking gang member, with supporting a terrorist organization and cocaine distribution. The DOJ also launched a criminal investigation into the leaks, labeling them “politically motivated” attempts to derail Trump’s agenda. Gabbard referred two leaks to the DOJ, with a third referral planned.
Venezuelan officials, including Attorney General Tarek William Saab, denied any government ties to Tren de Aragua in April 2025. Saab claimed the gang was dismantled in Venezuela and called allegations a “fabrication.” Foreign Minister Yvan Gil similarly dismissed the gang as a media-driven “fiction” in April 2024.
Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez endorsed Trump’s March 2025 executive order. They supported claims of Tren de Aragua’s links to Maduro’s regime. Their backing lent credibility to U.S. assertions amid Venezuela’s denials.
A Miami Herald report in March 2025 revealed documents identifying 1,800 Tren de Aragua members allegedly sent to the U.S. Former CIA station chief Gary Berntsen claimed 300 members received paramilitary training in Venezuela for deployment across 20 states. These reports fueled concerns about the gang’s reach.
InSight Crime’s 2023 report and the Heritage Foundation’s 2024 findings tied Tren de Aragua to Maduro’s government, alleging favors and control over communities.
Chilean prosecutor Hector Barros implicated Maduro regime official Diosdado Cabello in the 2024 assassination of a Venezuelan dissident, further linking the regime to criminal acts. The State Department’s $25 million reward for Maduro’s arrest in January 2025 underscored ongoing tensions.