By Emmanuel Bobby
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado is expected to travel to the United States next week and that he plans to meet with her, a development that could shape Washington’s next steps in Venezuela following the dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro from power.
“I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump said during a taped interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that aired Thursday night. While Trump did not elaborate on where or when the meeting would take place, the remark immediately fueled speculation about Machado’s potential role in Venezuela’s political future and her relationship with the Trump administration.
A representative for Machado did not immediately confirm the visit or a planned meeting, and the White House offered no further details Thursday night. Still, Trump’s comments marked the clearest indication yet that the administration is preparing to engage directly with Machado at a high level.
Meeting Comes After Maduro’s Capture
The potential meeting comes just days after U.S. forces arrested and extracted Venezuela’s longtime leader, Nicolás Maduro, in a high-risk operation that stunned the region and upended years of diplomatic stalemate. Following Maduro’s removal, Delcy Rodríguez was named interim president, pending the formation of a transitional political framework.
Several Republican lawmakers have publicly argued that Machado, who has been a leading figure in Venezuela’s opposition for more than a decade, should ultimately lead the country. They have pointed to her popularity among anti-Maduro voters and her international profile as reasons she could help stabilize the nation and restore democratic governance.
Trump, however, has offered mixed assessments of Machado’s political viability inside Venezuela. Just last week, he told reporters it would be “very tough” for her to become the country’s leader, arguing that she lacked sufficient internal support and respect within Venezuela after years of exile and repression.
Praise From Rubio, Lingering Questions About Leadership
Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more favorable tone over the weekend, calling Machado “fantastic” and praising her long-standing opposition to authoritarian rule. At the same time, Rubio suggested that the pace of events in Venezuela required immediate, practical decisions.
“Unfortunately, the vast majority of the opposition is no longer present inside of Venezuela,” Rubio said. “We have short-term things that have to be addressed right away.”
Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for her advocacy of democratic reform and human rights, has expressed admiration for Trump in the past, saying he “deserved” the award for his foreign policy efforts. During Thursday’s interview, Trump was asked whether he would accept Machado’s Nobel Prize if she chose to give it to him.
“I’ve heard that she wants to do that,” Trump said. “That’d be a great honor.”
Nobel Ambitions and Political Undercurrents
Trump has long spoken openly about his desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize and has frequently cited his foreign policy record as justification. He recently rejected reporting that suggested he declined to back Machado as Venezuela’s leader because she had already received the Nobel.
“She should not have won it,” Trump said previously. “But no, that has nothing to do with my decision.”
Whether or not Machado plays a formal leadership role, her anticipated visit to Washington underscores the Trump administration’s intent to shape Venezuela’s post-Maduro trajectory. Analysts say the meeting could focus on sanctions policy, humanitarian aid, election planning and the formation of a transitional government that balances internal Venezuelan politics with U.S. strategic interests.
As Venezuela enters a volatile and uncertain phase, Trump’s outreach to Machado signals that the White House sees her as a significant figure — if not yet the definitive leader — in the country’s unfolding political future.
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