Trump Discusses Potential Meeting With Venezuela’s Maduro
U.S. President Trump held a phone call with Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro to discuss a potential meeting, though no plans were finalized, amid ongoing US military pressure and sanctions against the Venezuelan government.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone last week with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, discussing the possibility of a meeting between the two leaders, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said. No meeting has been scheduled, and the U.S. administration continues to maintain significant military pressure on Venezuela.
The conversation took place late last week and included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to AFP, the leaders discussed a potential meeting in the United States. One source emphasized that there are currently no plans for such a meeting. Both sources requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly.
A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on the call, and the Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment. Two officials close to the Venezuelan government confirmed that a direct conversation between the two leaders had occurred.
The phone call came days before the State Department’s designation of Maduro as the leader of what the Trump administration considers a foreign terrorist organization, the Cartel de los Soles, took effect. The U.S. has deployed a substantial military presence to the Caribbean aimed at deterring drug smuggling while signaling that it seeks Maduro’s removal from power, potentially by force.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized a dual-track approach, combining diplomacy with threats of military action. The administration has carried out missile strikes against Venezuelan vessels allegedly trafficking drugs, while also maintaining covert action plans, a carrier strike group, Air Force bombers, and regular threats of intervention.
On Thanksgiving evening, Trump stated at Mar-a-Lago that efforts to combat drug traffickers would shift to land-based operations, saying: “The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”
The standoff has intensified since October 2025, when Maduro publicly appealed to the United States to avoid a “crazy war” amid a major U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and Pacific. AFP reported Maduro saying in English:
“Yes peace, yes peace forever, peace forever. No crazy war, please!”
Despite this, the U.S. has surged more than 10,000 troops, eight warships, a submarine, and advanced aircraft, including stealth planes and drones, into the region. Supersonic B-1 bombers also flew near the Venezuelan coast in a show of force.
In early November, Trump publicly denied that the U.S. was considering military strikes on Venezuela, calling reports of potential airstrikes “fake stories”, although senior administration officials have acknowledged plans to pressure Maduro to step down.
Reports from October indicated that Maduro had offered U.S. companies a significant stake in Venezuela’s oil fields and other economic opportunities in an attempt to defuse tensions. The U.S. quickly rejected these offers, maintaining pressure for Maduro to leave office. Secretary Rubio has publicly described Maduro as an illegitimate president.
Trump also commented on regional elections in Honduras via Truth Social, linking two of his rivals to Maduro while endorsing the National Party candidate, Tito Asfura, as a defender of democracy against Venezuelan influence.
The direct talks between Trump and Maduro could indicate an attempt to explore diplomatic solutions, even as U.S. military pressure continues. The administration appears focused on outcomes that would remove Maduro from power, while simultaneously demonstrating a willingness to use force if necessary.
The situation remains fluid, with both military and diplomatic maneuvers likely to continue shaping the U.S.-Venezuela standoff.
