Fact-check: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari video falsely linked to US attack on Venezuela
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's speech is in reality about India's missile strike in Pakistan on the night of May 6
Updated Thursday Jan 08 2026
After the United States carried out a military strike in Venezuela on the night of January 3 and kidnapped its president, a clip of Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari began circulating online.
In the video, he is purportedly seen daring US President Donald Trump to attack another country in broad daylight rather than under the cover of night.
The claim is false. The video is unrelated to Venezuela and predates the incident being referenced.
Claim
On January 4, a day after the attack on Venezuela, a user shared a 17-second video of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, claiming that he had challenged the US president.
In the video, Bilawal can be heard speaking on the floor of parliament, saying: “Who attacks in the darkness of the night? Thieves attack in the darkness of the night. Cowards attack in the darkness of the night. If they had courage, they would come in the daylight and declare war.”
Online users claimed that these remarks were directed at Donald J Trump following the strike on Venezuela.
Similar claims have also been shared here and here.
Fact
The speech is unrelated to Venezuela. It was delivered on May 7, when Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was referring to an Indian missile strike in Pakistan carried out the previous night.
The full speech from May 7 can be viewed on the official YouTube channel of the National Assembly of Pakistan. The relevant remarks begin at the 2:35 timestamp here:
His exact words, spoken in reference to India, were: “What can we say about this, Mr Speaker? Who attacks in the darkness of the night? Thieves attack in the darkness of the night. Cowards attack in the darkness of the night. If they had courage, they would come during the day and declare war. They would come face to face with our soldiers.”
Verdict: The video currently circulating online is not recent and has no connection to the United States' attack on Venezuela.
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