Key Takeaways
- Jordan Goudreau led "Operation Edgemonth" to remove Nicolás Maduro, claiming it was mislabeled by the CIA as "Operation Gideon."
- He alleges US government factions undermined President Trump's Venezuela policy and compromised the mission.
- Goudreau states a $212.9 million contract existed with Juan Guaidó, but only $50,000 of an initial $1.5 million payment was received.
- The mission involved capturing Maduro and other key figures, not assassination, utilizing internal Venezuelan military assets.
- Currently, Goudreau faces 14 federal charges and is living in a VA homeless shelter, fighting for trial.
Deep Dive
- Patrick Bet-David details Operation Gideon's origins, stating Jordan Goudreau was approached by Juan Guaidó in October 2019.
- Guaidó, recognized by the U.S. as Venezuela's president, allegedly offered Goudreau's company, Silver Corp, $213 million to assist in eliminating Nicolás Maduro.
- The operation ultimately led to the capture and deaths of several participants.
- Jordan Goudreau trusted representations from fellow Green Berets and Keith Schiller regarding Operation Gideon.
- He states he had a contract with the recognized Venezuelan opposition under Juan Guaidó.
- Goudreau also claims to have met with two presidents, including the then-president of Venezuela and the president of Colombia.
- Goudreau understood Operation Gideon was authorized through meetings with White House officials including Drew Horn and Keith Schiller.
- He held a contract with Juan Guaidó, the recognized Venezuelan opposition leader.
- Multiple meetings in Washington D.C. with individuals connected to the National Security Council and Donald Trump's legal team reportedly approved the operation.
- Goudreau alleges Operation Gideon was orchestrated by the Rendon Group in Washington D.C. to destabilize Venezuela.
- He claims a CIA asset, an opposition strategist, compromised the mission by providing GPS coordinates of his men to the Venezuelan regime.
- This raises questions about President Trump's awareness and potential manipulation by figures like Pompeo and Bolton.
- Widespread skepticism surrounds Operation Gideon, with many believing the narrative is "fishy" and unsupported by evidence.
- Goudreau suggests the operation, originally "Operation Edgeman," was designed to embarrass the U.S. president and destabilize the country.
- The guest questions the motives of "bad actors" within the U.S. government, linking it to anti-Trump sentiment among figures like Mike Pompeo and Gina Haspel.
- Goudreau claims intimate knowledge of Nicolás Maduro's daily routine, including his breakfast schedule and bodyguards.
- His strategy for Operation Gideon emphasized capturing or pressure key figures like Maduro, Cabello, and Tariq, rather than assassination.
- He asserts special operations forces are superior to the CIA in human intelligence gathering and aimed for the simplest, most effective solution by incentivizing those around Maduro.
- Goudreau faces 14 federal charges, including conspiracy and violations of arms control acts, and is fighting to go to trial.
- He claims the prosecution's only path to victory is to jail him, preventing him from gathering classified information.
- Due to legal constraints, Goudreau is currently living in a VA homeless shelter while wearing an ankle monitor.
- Goudreau states he was recruited for the mission and felt obligated to act when the highest office made a request, likening it to following orders.
- He clarifies that his company, Silvercore, operates as a Private Military Company (PMC), a description he states is determined by others.
- He differentiates his operation from Eric Prince's by stating it involved assets with access and placement to turn on military units, aiming to minimize casualties.
- Goudreau states he would "liberate 30 million people again" despite his current challenges.
- He takes full responsibility for his actions but questions the intelligence provided regarding internal White House conflicts and CIA actions.
- He believes he did his best as a soldier but acknowledges he should have anticipated CIA opposition and gathered better intelligence.