• Trump calls Machado “very nice woman” but says she lacks respect within Venezuela
• U.S. had no contact with Nobel laureate during Saturday operation to capture Maduro
• Administration working with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on transition instead

PALM BEACH, FL (TDR) — President Donald Trump ruled out Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, as Venezuela’s next leader Saturday, telling reporters the opposition figure lacks the domestic support and respect needed to govern despite her international acclaim.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within — or the respect within — the country,” Trump said during a Mar-a-Lago press conference, according to Newsweek.

“She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump added, addressing questions about Machado potentially taking power after U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro overnight.

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The president confirmed the U.S. had not been in contact with Machado at any point Saturday during the military operation that struck Caracas and extracted Maduro from Venezuela.

Working With Maduro’s Vice President

Instead of backing Machado, Trump revealed the administration is engaging with Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who has indicated willingness to cooperate with Washington.

“She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” Trump said, according to France 24, noting Secretary of State Marco Rubio “just had a conversation with her.”

The decision to work with Rodriguez, a longtime Chavista official sanctioned by the U.S., marks a striking departure from previous American policy that recognized opposition figures as Venezuela’s legitimate leadership.

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Trump announced the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until ensuring a “safe, proper and judicious transition,” though he provided no timeline. He emphasized plans to rebuild the country’s oil infrastructure and prepare major American oil companies to invest billions.

Nobel Laureate’s Democratic Credentials

The dismissal contradicts Machado’s achievements. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded her the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025 “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.”

Committee Chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes called her “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in recent Latin American history.”

Machado won an opposition primary but was barred from the July 2024 presidential election. She supported Edmundo González Urrutia, whom the opposition documented as the actual winner by more than 2-to-1.

The U.S. and international observers recognized González as the legitimate winner, according to CNN.

Machado’s Response and Support Base

Following Maduro’s capture, Machado posted on X that “the hour of freedom has arrived” and called for the opposition to “make our mandate count and take power.”

“Today we are prepared to make our mandate count and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active and organized until the democratic transition is complete,” Machado wrote, according to Spanish-language media reports.

She urged Venezuelans to support González as the “legitimate president” and called for the restoration of institutional order, release of political prisoners, and reconstruction of the country.

Venezuelan expert Jorge Jraissati told Fox News that Machado and González have the support of 70% of Venezuelans and should lead a transitional government.

“I believe Machado has the capacity and integrity to lead this very delicate transition,” Jraissati said. “Key will be her ability to surround herself with young and capable Venezuelans instead of career politicians.”

From Hiding to Oslo

Machado is believed in Oslo, Norway, where she traveled in December to receive her Nobel Prize after over a year in hiding. Her escape involved disguises, rough seas, and a U.S.-based rescue team.

Her daughter Ana Corina Sosa accepted the prize, reading a speech declaring, “We must be willing to fight for freedom.”

Machado founded Súmate, promoting free elections, over 20 years ago. She served in the National Assembly until expelled in 2014.

She has endorsed Trump’s strategy, telling CBS News in December she was “absolutely” supportive and calling Trump “a champion of freedom in this hemisphere.”

Questions About Democratic Transition

Trump’s preference for Rodriguez over Machado raises questions about whether the administration prioritizes a democratic transition or simply a government friendly to U.S. interests.

CNN analyst David Smilde noted Trump’s press conference “doesn’t sound like democracy or Maria Corina Machado are even on the map, at this point.”

“It doesn’t look like they have in mind a democratic transition,” Smilde said. “They have in mind a country that is friendly and open to the United States’ interests, stable and economically productive.”

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are being transported to New York to face narco-terrorism charges in the Southern District of New York.

Can the U.S. claim to support Venezuelan democracy while sidelining the Nobel Peace Prize winner recognized globally for fighting for democratic rights?

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