WorldPosted at: Sep 18 2026 11:16PM


Trump preparing for possible meeting with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez next week

Washington, Sep 18 (UNI) US President Donald Trump is preparing for a possible first face-to-face meeting with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez as early as next week, according to people familiar with the discussions cited by Axios.
The potential meeting, which could take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, would mark a new stage in the rapidly changing relationship between Washington and Caracas.
Trump is expected to meet leaders from six Gulf countries next week to discuss the war with Iran, and sources familiar with his thinking told Axios that he wants to make time to meet Rodriguez as early as Tuesday.
"Iran is tough, but Venezuela is without a doubt the president's top success and Delcy is a key to that," a Trump adviser told the platform. "Unless something goes really wrong, the president wants to make time."
A senior administration official cautioned that nothing had been finalised and said the decision ultimately rested with Trump. Asked on Sunday about the possibility of meeting Rodriguez, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One "I may be, I may be."
The potential meeting would carry particular political sensitivity in both countries. In New York, it could take place only a short distance from the federal detention facility where former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is awaiting trial on the alleged charges of "narco-terrorism." Maduro was kidnapped by US forces in Caracas on January 3 in an operation authorised by Trump.
Rodriguez, who took over as Venezuela's interim leader following Maduro's removal, has since worked with the Trump administration to restore diplomatic and economic ties. Trump and Rodriguez have already spoken by phone, while US and Venezuelan officials have held further talks as relations have gradually resumed.
The administration has also moved towards closer economic cooperation with Caracas. Washington lifted sanctions on Rodriguez in April, and the US has been negotiating major arrangements involving Venezuela's oil and mining sectors.
The closer relationship has created tensions among Venezuelan opponents of the former Maduro government, particularly in South Florida, where some conservative exiles have objected to Washington's engagement with Rodriguez, a longtime socialist and former ally of Maduro and Hugo Chávez.
Some members of the Venezuelan diaspora have also criticised the Trump administration for not making new elections a central demand, despite Washington's years of criticism of Maduro's authoritarian government.
Supporters of opposition leader María Corina Machado have also expressed frustration with Washington over its treatment of her and her political movement.
The possible Trump-Rodriguez meeting is also politically sensitive in Venezuela, where the two leaders don't enjoy much favour among the masses, according to polling cited by Axios.
Some Trump allies have privately raised concerns that a highly publicised meeting with the US president could further damage Rodriguez's standing at home by reinforcing perceptions of her dependence on Washington.
Trump, however, does not appear concerned about that risk, according to a senior administration official, who said "The fact is POTUS loves Delcy because she's delivering and she's leading."
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