President Donald Trump has several reasons for not supporting opposition leader María Corina Machado, the New York Times reported, including tensions that developed between her and Trump administration officials.
After his administration successfully carried out a raid and captured the president of Venezuela, Trump gave a press conference on Saturday, announcing that the U.S. wouldn’t be backing Machado. The decision was based on several factors, including CIA intelligence, urging from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Machado’s deteriorating relationship with administration officials, sources told the Times. (RELATED: How Trump Went From Campaigning Against War To Snatching Nicolas Maduro)
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” Trump said at the time. “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.”
TOPSHOT – (L/R) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks to the press following US military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)
Senior officials, including Rubio, argued against U.S. backing of Machado following Maduro’s capture, the Times reported. Rubio reportedly told the president that backing the opposition could cause more destabilization and require a more robust military presence in Venezuela.
In the months leading up to the raid, U.S. officials had grown frustrated with Machado, feeling she provided inaccurate reports on Maduro’s strength, sources told the Times. Officials were also skeptical of her ability to take power in the aftermath.
Trump’s envoy Ric Grenell also experienced friction with Machado, according to the Times. After Trump took office, Grenell visited Machado in D.C. During a later trip to Caracas, he tried to arrange an in-person meeting with the opposition leader and requested a list of political prisoners she wanted freed.
However, Machado refused to meet with him in person, and they spoke on the phone instead.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy.) U.S. President Donald Trump, and (L-R) Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club on January 3, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Molly Riley/The White House via Getty Images)
Following the phone call, the relationship further deteriorated after Machado failed to provide a concrete plan for a surrogate candidate, Edmundo González, to run for office after she was barred from doing so, according to the Times. Machado was upset with Grenell because he did not “forcefully denounce Mr. Maduro as illegitimate,” the Times reported. Grenell reportedly told colleagues that doing so would “undercut his diplomatic outreach.”
Machado appeared on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News on Monday to discuss the latest action in Venezuela.
“I do want to say today, on behalf of the Venezuelan people, how grateful we are for [Trump’s] courageous vision, the historical actions he has taken against this narco-terrorist regime,” Machado told the Fox News host.
Machado, the latest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, then played to Trump’s desire for the award.
“It hasn’t happened yet,” Machado replied, after being asked if she had offered to give Trump her award. “But I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe — the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people — certainly want to give it to him and share it with him.”