Trump reportedly sought input from Musk’s AI chatbot on military strikes

Donald Trump has never demonstrated any meaningful understanding of technological developments. But the president has apparently become quite enamored with artificial intelligence of late, repeatedly insisting that public officials reject any industry guardrails or public safeguards.

“Whoever wins AI, wins,” he has repeatedly said, while failing to finish the sentence and explain what, specifically, he believes the victor of the AI arms race will win.

As for why he’s so impressed with the technology, there’s apparently an interesting backstory to keep in mind. Time magazine reported:

Since returning to office, Trump has marveled at AI’s capabilities. He is increasingly in thrall to the tech executives courting him. In December 2025, Elon Musk returned to the Oval Office for a clandestine meeting. Trump spent hours asking Grok, Musk’s AI chatbot, questions about his presidency and legacy, according to an official present.

At the time, Trump was ordering missile strikes against Venezuelan boats he alleged were smuggling drugs into the U.S. He asked Grok how Venezuelans would react if the U.S. captured [then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro]. According to the official present, the chatbot responded that Maduro was a repressive and deeply unpopular dictator and that many Venezuelans would likely celebrate his downfall. After Trump ordered the mission to seize Maduro, the following month, celebrations broke out in the streets. Trump, according to officials, came away thinking Grok was ingenious.

If the story is accurate, it’s unsettling for all sorts of reasons. In fact, right off the bat, there’s a historical dimension to the anecdote: This was almost certainly the first time in American history that a sitting president consulted an AI chatbot about a provocative foreign policy gambit.