President Donald Trump hosted Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado at the White House on January 15, 2026, in a meeting described by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as “good and positive.”
Trump Meets Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado at White House Amid Escalating US-Venezuela Tensions – Live Updates
The high-profile discussion comes amid heightened U.S.-Venezuela relations following the U.S. military raid that captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. Machado, who has been vocal about sharing her Nobel honor with Trump for his role in Maduro’s ouster, waved to supporters as she departed the White House before heading to the U.S. Capitol for further engagements.
This encounter underscores ongoing diplomatic maneuvers as the U.S. navigates Venezuela’s political transition under interim President Delcy Rodríguez. With protests erupting in Minneapolis over a related immigration incident involving a Venezuelan national, the meeting highlights the intersection of foreign policy and domestic unrest in Trump’s administration.
Key Details from the Trump-Machado White House Meeting
The lunch meeting focused on Venezuela’s future, though specific outcomes remain undisclosed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided brief updates, noting the positive tone but offering no direct quotes from Trump or Machado. Machado arrived in a white suit, symbolizing her opposition stance, and was photographed waving enthusiastically to a crowd of supporters outside the White House gates (credit: Pablo Martínez Monsiváis/AP).
Post-meeting, Machado proceeded to the Capitol for a bipartisan gathering with senators, followed by a press conference on the steps. Florida Senator Rick Scott, a Trump ally, has publicly supported Machado, predicting she will “clearly” become Venezuela’s next president. The discussions likely touched on U.S. support for opposition forces, energy deals, and the release of political prisoners—demands the U.S. has made of Rodríguez’s interim government.
Machado’s visit follows her exile from Venezuela in late 2025 and her Nobel acceptance in Oslo in December. She has praised Trump’s decisive actions against Maduro, who was extradited to New York on drug-trafficking charges after pleading not guilty alongside his wife.
Broader US-Venezuela Context and Diplomatic Shifts
The Trump administration has maintained “constant” communication with interim President Delcy Rodríguez, crediting her government for cooperating on key U.S. demands. Leavitt highlighted progress on an energy agreement allowing American oil companies to refurbish Venezuelan infrastructure, as well as limited releases of political prisoners. “The president likes what he is seeing and we expect that cooperation to continue,” Leavitt stated.
Trump has described the U.S. role in Venezuela as overseeing a “safe, proper and judicious transition,” though Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that direct control is not the intent. This stance contrasts with Machado’s opposition push, creating potential friction. The raid on Maduro—framed as a law-enforcement operation with military backing—has drawn scrutiny over congressional authorization, with Senate Republicans blocking a war powers resolution.
Venezuela’s oil reserves remain a focal point, with Trump emphasizing economic benefits for the U.S. amid global energy challenges.
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