ANKARA

Following the US military intervention that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump has reportedly distanced himself from opposition leader Maria Corina Machado over her acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, according to sources close to the White House cited by The Washington Post.

Two officials close to the White House told the newspaper that Machado’s decision to accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize — which Trump had long sought and publicly campaigned for — was viewed by him as a “serious mistake” that cost her his political support.

One official was quoted as saying that if Machado had declined the prize because of Trump, “she would be Venezuela’s president today.”

Machado had dedicated the Nobel Prize to Trump in October 2025, praising his “decisive support” for Venezuela’s opposition movement and highlighting his role in pressuring the Maduro government.

Trump, when asked about Machado’s prospects as a national leader, responded dismissively: “It would be very tough for her to be the leader, I think. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”

The Nobel Committee awarded Machado the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to defend democratic rights and promote a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule to democracy in Venezuela.

Despite reports in US media linking Trump’s distance from Machado to the decision on the prize, Washington’s approach toward Venezuela appears focused on managing a controlled political transition rather than backing a single opposition figure.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a recent State Department briefing on Venezuela policy, said US involvement centers on managing policy rather than direct governance, while addressing immediate realities on the ground, including engagement with interim authorities aligned with US interests.

The US State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs has prioritized predictable partnerships with elements of Venezuela’s political and military establishment that could facilitate an orderly transfer of power, rather than relying solely on opposition leaders whose domestic support remains contested in the post-intervention landscape.