A newly released U.S. intelligence report contradicts claims made by former President Donald Trump and his administration regarding the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
Trump’s team had previously suggested the gang had close ties to the Venezuelan government, with Trump even invoking the Alien Enemies Act to justify deportations of Venezuelan migrants.
However, the classified intelligence assessment, issued this month by the National Intelligence Council, reveals no evidence of coordination between the gang and the Venezuelan government.
The National Intelligence Council, which works with 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, found that while there may have been occasional contact between low-level members of the gang and some Venezuelan officials, there was no evidence of direct involvement or support from President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
This report presents a stronger and more comprehensive analysis than a previous intelligence release from February, which had been cited to support Trump’s claims.
The intelligence assessment’s findings have prompted controversy, as the FBI was the only agency to disagree with the conclusion.
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This divergence of opinion highlights the complexity of intelligence analysis on sensitive geopolitical matters. Despite this, the assessment offers substantial evidence backing the assertion that Tren de Aragua is not a coordinated force with the Venezuelan state.
The controversy comes as the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants.
Under this law, which dates back to 1798, the government can expel noncitizens deemed a threat to national security.
However, critics argue that using it against a criminal gang—rather than a sovereign state—could set a dangerous precedent for legal overreach.
Trump had argued that the gang’s activities, including kidnappings and extortion, made it a “foreign terrorist organization,” justifying swift deportations.
Yet, with U.S. intelligence contradicting his claims, the legality and fairness of using wartime laws against alleged gang members remain in question.
