The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, known colloquially as the 'Doomsday plane' and President Donald Trump's emergency command aircraft, made an unusual appearance in Los Angeles, California, sparking widespread panic and conspiracy theories on social media. This highly specialized aircraft, designed as a flying command post for top officials during times of crisis, is built to survive a nuclear attack and coordinate military actions. Its landing at Los Angeles International Airport marked its first visit in 51 years, occurring on a Thursday night. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was among those on board, accompanied by several conservative media correspondents. Despite online rumors, the Pentagon clarified that this stop was a pre-planned part of Hegseth's nationwide 'Arsenal of Freedom' tour, aimed at highlighting US defense production and bolstering military recruitment efforts. Nevertheless, the plane's presence caused a frenzy on social media, with users speculating about its connection to the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and fearing an escalation toward war, with comments ranging from "Is LA about to get nuked? Should I leave?" to observations that its deployment was "probably not a good sign."

The E-4B Nightwatch's movement to Los Angeles followed another deployment two days earlier, when flight trackers recorded it leaving its home base in Omaha and landing near Washington, D.C. While primarily stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, this nuclear-proof aircraft is periodically deployed to various locations, including Kelly Field in Texas and Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, to ensure readiness and support diverse missions. The E-4B boasts a significant history, having served as an airborne command center during critical events like Hurricane Opal in 1995 and famously providing a secure refuge for President George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks. Despite its ominous nickname, the 'Doomsday plane' is not exclusively reserved for apocalyptic scenarios; senior officials have also utilized it for overseas travel. The purpose of the earlier Tuesday mission remained unclear but unfolded amid a surge in global tensions.

This period of heightened global tension also encompasses other significant events involving the Trump administration. President Trump had escalated disputes with NATO ally Denmark, warning that the US military could seize Greenland to counter Arctic threats from China and Russia. The administration stated it was weighing options, from purchasing the territory to assuming its defense, insisting the issue "is not going away." Concurrently, the US seized two tankers linked to Russia and Venezuela, enforcing oil blockades. In Iran, the country faced its largest anti-regime protests in three years, resulting in at least 20 deaths, with Trump vowing severe retaliation if crackdowns continued.

Just days before these events, the United States executed a covert operation on Saturday, January 3, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug trafficking charges. A controversial element of this capture involved claims that the US military employed a powerful sonic weapon against Venezuelan soldiers, allegedly causing nosebleeds and vomiting blood. This account was shared by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X, retweeting an interview with an unnamed security guard who claimed to be present during the strike. Mike Netter, vice chairman of Rebuild California, first disseminated this insight, which garnered over 15 million views in a single day, suggesting it "explains a lot about why the tone across Latin America suddenly changed."

The security guard's harrowing description detailed a "very intense sound wave" that incapacitated Venezuelan forces, causing his head to feel "exploding from the inside," leading to widespread bleeding from the nose and vomiting blood among the soldiers, who fell to the ground unable to move. Moments before the raid, all radar systems reportedly shut down without explanation. Subsequently, eight helicopters arrived, from which approximately 20 US soldiers, described as unlike any previously encountered, descended. According to this unverified account, these soldiers "killed hundreds" of Venezuelan forces. President Donald Trump later stated that the operation, which had been in planning since August, involved 150 aircraft taking off from 20 bases across the western hemisphere. White House officials decided to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, last month, waiting for optimum weather conditions for the January 3 strike.

CIA spies on the ground in Venezuela had diligently tracked Maduro and Flores, who, being security-conscious, slept in a different location each night to evade capture. Members of Delta Force, the US Army's elite unit, conducted a low-altitude helicopter flight across the Atlantic and into Venezuelan airspace, supported by a fleet of military aircraft. Upon entering the country, US planes and drones neutralized Venezuelan anti-aircraft defenses and cut power lines. Delta Force soldiers stormed Maduro's compound at 1:01 AM ET on Saturday. Maduro attempted to flee to a metal safe room but was apprehended before securing himself inside. He and Flores were then transported by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima warship, landing at 3:29 AM ET.

Venezuelan officials reported that 80 members of their armed forces and civilians were killed during the capture mission. Conversely, one US service member sustained injuries from return fire, with no American fatalities. President Maduro was subsequently taken to New York City, where he is currently held at a Brooklyn jail on federal charges. Trump alleged that Maduro is the leader of the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, a drug trafficking operation, accusing him and his alleged cartel cronies of flooding the United States with illegal narcotics, and charging him with drug smuggling and weapons offenses. Maduro, maintaining his innocence this week in New York, declared himself a "prisoner of war." His wife, Cilia Flores, also captured, pleaded not guilty. Both were ordered to be held in custody until their next court appearance on March 17. Trump had initially indicted the Venezuelan leader in 2020 and proceeded with his seizure last week after Maduro repeatedly ignored orders to step down as president and go into exile in exchange for amnesty from criminal charges.