The Rest Is Classified takes you into the mysterious world of spies and espionage. Hosted by former CIA analyst now turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, they’ve experienced this field first-hand. It’s a world of shadows, shrouded in secrecy, but it affects every one of us. It’s time to bring it into the light.
Curated by: The Rest Is Classified (200 videos)
Donald Trump has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and extradited him to the United States but how did such a bold, legally controversial operation actually succeed? In this episode, David and Gordon go inside the high-stakes intelligence operation that led to Maduro’s dramatic downfall. From covert planning and international law to political risk and operational execution, they unpack how one of the most complex raids in modern geopolitics was pulled off and why it worked. 🎯 What you’ll learn: - How the Maduro operation was planned and executed - The legal and diplomatic risks involved - Intelligence failures—and successes—behind the scenes - Why the raid reshaped U.S.–Venezuela relations This is a deep dive into covert action, regime change, and real-world intelligence operations at the highest level. #Trump #Maduro #Venezuela #CIA #IntelligenceOperations #Geopolitics #CovertAction 00:00 AD 1:15 Unpacking the Dramatic US Apprehension Mission 3:43 Maduro’s Rise and The US Pressure Campaign 8:18 US Military Pressure and Covert Operations 15:09 Inside the intelligence behind the Maduro Apprehension 19:23 CIA’s Human Source and Maduro’s Daily Routine 26:03 Fortuna Complex, Weather and Moon In the Mission 30:49 Trump’s Approval and Massive Air Assault 35:49 Delta Force Breaches Command, Captures Maduro’s 42:01 The Raid’s Success and Future Geopolitics Question ------------------ ➡️ Join The Declassified Club: Start your free trial at https://therestisclassified.com - go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, quarterly livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- Try Attio for free at https://www.attio.com/tric ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026! Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 31 January. 🎟️ https://www.livenation.co.uk/the-rest-is-classified-live-tickets-adp1627115 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✅ Subscribe Here: https://www.youtube.com/@restisclassifiedsub_confirmation=1 🎙️ Listen To The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/triclassified -------------------------------------- 🗞️ Sign Up To The Free Newsletter Here: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up -------------------------------------- 📱 Follow Us On Socials: Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567680193497 Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/restisclassified/?hl=en TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@restisclassified Twitter: / https://x.com/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📩 Email: classified@goalhanger.com -------------------------------------- Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor