Trump to Meet Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado in Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado is expected to visit Washington next week, signaling plans for a meeting between the two.

In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said, “I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her.” This would be the first meeting between Trump and Machado

The announcement comes just over a week after U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and brought them to New York to face charges related to drugs and weapons.

Last week, Trump questioned Machado’s ability to lead Venezuela, saying she “does not have the respect or support within the country.” He has also suggested the United States could effectively influence Venezuela for years following Maduro’s ousting

Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Trump said the country, now led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, is not ready to hold new elections. “We have to rebuild the country,” he said. “They couldn’t have an election. They wouldn’t even know how to have an election right now.”

Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has said she would be willing to share the award with Trump, who has publicly stated he believed he deserved the prize. Trump described it as a “major embarrassment” for Norway that he did not win and indicated Machado might give him her Nobel Prize during their meeting.