Military operation in Venezuela Trump administration praises US media for withholding information
Several media outlets withheld information on the US operation in Venezuela in advance. This raises a sensitive question: when does silence protect human lives - and when does dangerous proximity between power and the media begin?
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- After the US military operation in Venezuela, the Trump administration thanked several media outlets for withholding information in advance.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified this with operational security and the protection of American soldiers.
- The case has reignited the debate about press freedom, responsibility and the limits of state influence on journalism.
After the US military operation in Venezuela, the news media heard something rare from the Trump administration: a "thank you". Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged media outlets that had learned in advance of last Saturday's attack, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but had not reported immediately so as not to jeopardize the mission.
Rubio's recognition was particularly remarkable. After all, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, for example, had argued that journalists could not be trusted to handle confidential information sensitively. He also cited this as an argument for the introduction of new restrictive press requirements for reporters in the Ministry of Defense. Most major media houses preferred to vacate their offices in the Pentagon rather than bow to Hegseth's rules.
On "This Week," a program on ABC News Channel, Rubio said Sunday that the administration didn't notify Congress in advance about the Venezuela mission because "it would have been leaked." "It's as simple as that." The main reason, however, was operational security, he said. "Frankly, it had already been leaked to quite a few media outlets that this was coming, and that's exactly why they withheld it," Rubio explained. "And we thank them for that - otherwise lives could have been lost. American lives."
"New York Times" and "Washington Post" knew about it
Both the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post" knew about the military operation in advance, but waited to report on it so as not to endanger US military personnel, the news portal Semafor reported, citing people who were privy to the communication between the government and media organizations. Representatives of both newspapers declined to comment when asked by the AP news agency.
Withholding information about a planned mission for this reason is common practice for news organizations, according to Dana Priest, a long-time reporter on national security issues at the Washington Post. The experienced journalist, who now teaches at the University of Maryland, adds that the Post also asks government authorities retrospectively whether the publication of certain details could put people in danger.
Most Americans learned of the attack in Venezuela early Saturday morning when President Donald Trump announced it on his Truth Social platform after the operation was completed. While the AP had no prior knowledge of the operation, its journalists heard and observed explosions on the ground. The news agency reported on this more than two hours before Trump's announcement. However, it only became clear that the USA was behind it after Trump's post.
Lawsuit against Hegseth's new rules
When Hegseth defended his new rules last year, which restrict the freedom of movement and reporting of reporters in the Pentagon, he said in an interview on Fox News: "We expect you not to obtain classified or sensitive information." The New York Times filed a lawsuit in December to have these rules lifted.
The decision on whether to publish information that could endanger people or a mission is often preceded by high-level discussions between editors and government officials. However, expert Priest emphasizes that in a country with freedom of the press, the final say on whether to report lies with the respective media house.
Many established reporters who cover military and security issues have extensive experience in dealing with sensitive topics, says Priest. However, there is a difference between reporting information that could put someone in danger and information that is merely embarrassing for a government.
"Reporters will not be deterred by a ridiculously broad censorship decree from the Trump administration," Priest emphasizes. "They will bite down and work even harder. Their job is not to curry favor with the Trump administration. Their job is to inform the public."
