Fact Check: Did Hakeem Jeffries try to contact Nicolas Maduro before his capture?

WASHINGTON, DC: In the hours after the US military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, social media platforms filled with unverified claims linking the operation to US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The posts, shared widely on X and Facebook, alleged that Jeffries had attempted to secretly contact Maduro ahead of the mission.

According to the viral claims, the supposed outreach was exposed by the Trump administration and reported by conservative outlet Newsmax, a detail that helped the allegation gain traction despite the absence of any verifiable sourcing.

Claim: Hakeem Jeffries tried to tip off Nicolas Maduro before his capture

The viral posts alleged that Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat and House minority leader, attempted to contact Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro prior to his capture by US forces on January 3, 2026. Some users claimed the alleged attempt was intended to warn Maduro about an impending operation.

Multiple social media users circulated screenshots styled as breaking news, featuring headlines such as “Trump Administration Exposes Hakeem Jeffries’ Failed Democratic Betrayal in Successful Maduro Capture” and “EXCLUSIVE: Trump Administration Busts Hakeem Jeffries’ Failed Plot to Save Maduro!”

Several posts explicitly stated that Newsmax had broken the story, lending the claim an appearance of legitimacy for readers unfamiliar with its origin. One widely shared post asserted that Jeffries’ office attempted to contact Maduro but failed because the warning arrived too late. Other users called for criminal charges against Jeffries based solely on the circulating claim.

As the posts spread, the allegation was repeated across multiple accounts, often without context or evidence, and framed as a confirmed political scandal rather than an unverified assertion.

Fact Check: Claim about Hakeem Jeffries contacting Nicolas Maduro was false

The claim that Hakeem Jeffries attempted to contact or warn Nicolas Maduro ahead of his capture was false.

The story did not originate from Newsmax and was not supported by any reporting or official disclosure. Instead, it was fabricated by Jonathan Gregory, a stand-up comedian who regularly publishes satirical and fictional political content on social media.

Gregory first posted the story on Facebook on January 3, the same day Maduro was captured, presenting it in the style of a breaking news exposé. While the post appeared serious, Gregory has a documented history of posting satire and parody, sometimes clearly labeled and other times not.

On January 4, Gregory reposted the claim alongside a video on Facebook and Instagram, tagging #Newsmax and, in some cases, the outlet’s official handle. The repeated tagging appears to have confused readers and contributed to the belief that Newsmax had reported the claim.

Snopes reviewed the allegation and found no evidence that Jeffries attempted to contact Maduro, that the Trump administration exposed any such effort, or that Newsmax published the story. A Newsmax spokesperson previously told Snopes that Gregory had a habit of tagging the outlet in posts that had no connection to its reporting.

Snopes also reached out to Jeffries’ office and Gregory for comment and asked Gregory whether artificial intelligence tools were used to generate the post. No responses had been received at the time of publication.

Why the rumor gained traction

The false claim emerged amid heightened political tensions following Maduro’s capture, an unprecedented US military operation that drew intense media attention. In such moments, misinformation often spreads quickly, especially when it aligns with partisan narratives or involves well-known political figures.

The misleading use of Newsmax’s name and branding played a key role in amplifying the rumor, as many readers assumed the outlet’s involvement meant the information had been verified. In reality, there was no Newsmax article, broadcast, or exclusive tied to the claim.