US Intelligence Paints a Different Picture of Tren de Aragua Than Trump's Administration Described
The US intelligence community has revealed that it had a very different understanding of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), during its tenure under the Trump administration. The FBI and other agencies struggled to establish whether TdA was a cohesive entity in the United States, with some assessments labeling it as "fragmented" or even suggesting that there was limited evidence of organized crime.
The intelligence community described the group's activity primarily as opportunistic rather than coordinated, focusing on small-scale crimes such as smash-and-grab burglaries and ATM "jackpotting." This portrayal contrasts sharply with the Trump administration's characterization of TdA as a unified terrorist force operating in the United States, with President Donald Trump claiming it had thousands of members who were conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions.
Internal documents, including those from US Border Patrol assessments and National Counterterrorism Center reports, portray TdA as an organization whose operational capabilities are unclear. While some agencies acknowledged that there was a need for more information about the group's structure and activities, their statements highlight significant uncertainty surrounding its scope of operations in the United States.
In contrast to the White House's claims of widespread involvement by Venezuelan officials in directing US-based TdA members, intelligence assessments suggest otherwise. Senior counterterrorism officials within the National Counterterrorism Center have publicly stated that the assessment found no evidence to support this claim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Customs and Border Protection issued reports suggesting a more limited understanding of the group's activities. According to these sources, TdA's actions in the US were largely related to organized retail theft rather than terrorist-related activities.
While President Trump publicly described TdA as an entity capable of causing significant harm to national security, internal assessments from law enforcement agencies have struggled to establish a clear picture of its operations and capabilities.
The US intelligence community has revealed that it had a very different understanding of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), during its tenure under the Trump administration. The FBI and other agencies struggled to establish whether TdA was a cohesive entity in the United States, with some assessments labeling it as "fragmented" or even suggesting that there was limited evidence of organized crime.
The intelligence community described the group's activity primarily as opportunistic rather than coordinated, focusing on small-scale crimes such as smash-and-grab burglaries and ATM "jackpotting." This portrayal contrasts sharply with the Trump administration's characterization of TdA as a unified terrorist force operating in the United States, with President Donald Trump claiming it had thousands of members who were conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions.
Internal documents, including those from US Border Patrol assessments and National Counterterrorism Center reports, portray TdA as an organization whose operational capabilities are unclear. While some agencies acknowledged that there was a need for more information about the group's structure and activities, their statements highlight significant uncertainty surrounding its scope of operations in the United States.
In contrast to the White House's claims of widespread involvement by Venezuelan officials in directing US-based TdA members, intelligence assessments suggest otherwise. Senior counterterrorism officials within the National Counterterrorism Center have publicly stated that the assessment found no evidence to support this claim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Customs and Border Protection issued reports suggesting a more limited understanding of the group's activities. According to these sources, TdA's actions in the US were largely related to organized retail theft rather than terrorist-related activities.
While President Trump publicly described TdA as an entity capable of causing significant harm to national security, internal assessments from law enforcement agencies have struggled to establish a clear picture of its operations and capabilities.
i mean trump was trying to tell the whole world that tren de aragua was this huge threat to america's safety but it turns out the us intelligence community was all like "nah fam, they're just a bunch of opportunistic thieves". 
can you even imagine having your name associated with a group of smash-and-grab burglars? 
i guess trump got roasted by his own admin and now they're trying to cover their tracks. 
anyway, glad we finally know the truth about tren de aragua... or at least, what's left of it 
. I mean, think about it - Trump's admin had this super aggressive stance on TdA, painting them as some kinda unified terror force... but now we see that was way off base 
. It just goes to show that sometimes our assumptions and biases can lead us down the wrong path 
. So important to stay curious, question everything, and keep an open mind 
- that's how we really understand what's going on in this world!
I'm kinda surprised by this news tbh, the whole "Venezuelan gang" thing seemed super hyped up during Trump's time 
. I mean, the idea that TdA was like some kinda unified terrorist force is just not adding up to me 
It sounds way exaggerated to me.
.
. It goes to show that info gathering can be messy and unclear, even for those who are supposed to know what they're doing 
. The internal documents highlighting uncertainty surrounding TdA's scope of operations in the US serve as a reminder that we often can't make assumptions about complex issues without thorough analysis 
. Overall, this development serves as a reminder that intelligence gathering and analysis are complex processes that require careful consideration and attention to detail 
.
. sounds like the actual intel wasn't even close to what trump was spewing to the public 
. It's crazy how Trump's admin was so quick to label them as a terrorist force, without actually having any solid evidence 
. And now the FBI and Border Patrol are saying they don't know much about it? That just sounds like a case of info overload 
. I'm not convinced that this group is even a cohesive entity at all 
. They might be doing some opportunistic crimes, but let's not overstate things here 
. It's like, what if they're using some info to get a specific agenda going? And Trump was already pretty shady when it came to Venezuela and TdA, so this just confirms that he was trying to stir up some drama without actually knowing much about the group 
. Anyway, I guess we can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the FBI and CBP are being more transparent with their findings... or at least, they're saying what they really think about TdA 
. I mean, smash-and-grab burglaries? That's just some local crime stuff, not some big league terrorist op 
.
for next year, been wanting to go back there for ages! Have you ever been to the beach in Tamarindo? The waves are supposed to be amazing this time of year...