Report: Major Outlets Informed of Plan to Abduct Maduro, But Withheld Reporting

"Major American news outlets were informed of the Trump administration's plan to bombard Venezuela and abduct its president ahead of the operation early Saturday morning, but withheld their reporting on the operation to protect the military, Semafor reports. Both The New York Times and The Washington Post knew about the raid before President Donald Trump approved it on Friday night at 10:46 pm, Semafor reported over the weekend."

"However, according to two people familiar with the administration's communications with the outlets, they "held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering U.S. troops." The report raises major questions about the media's role in the operation, which has been widely condemned as an illegal and authoritarian action by legal experts and foreign leaders; Semafor describes the withholding of coverage as potential "cooperation" with the military by news outlets."

"Major news outlets in the U.S. have a history of coordinating with the Pentagon in order to protect military operations. As Semafor notes, The New York Times reportedly withheld a story about the disastrous Bay of Pigs operation in 1961 before the Cuban invasion at the behest of the Kennedy administration. There are numerous other such examples. In the mid-2000s, the Times withheld a major report on the National Security Agency's campaign of warrantless spying on American citizens, Stellar Wind, for a year at the Bush administ"

Major American news outlets were informed in advance of a planned U.S. operation to bombard Venezuela and abduct its president, and they withheld reporting on the operation to avoid endangering U.S. troops. The New York Times and The Washington Post allegedly had knowledge of the raid before presidential approval late Friday night. Sources close to administration communications say the outlets held off publishing to protect military personnel. The withholding of coverage raises major questions about the media's role and possible cooperation with military authorities. U.S. media have historical precedents for coordinating with the Pentagon, including withheld coverage during the Bay of Pigs era and the Stellar Wind NSA revelations.

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