President Donald Trump reportedly said Thursday that Venezuela is in no condition to hold elections anytime soon, arguing that the country must first be rebuilt following a U.S. operation that led to the capture and removal of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump was asked whether he envisions free and fair elections in Venezuela’s future. The president said elections could only take place after the United States stabilizes and rebuilds the country, which he described as having fallen into deep dysfunction.
“They couldn’t have an election,” Trump said during the interview. “They wouldn’t even know how to have an election right now. The country’s become Third World, and they wouldn’t know how to have an election right now.”
Trump’s comments came less than a week after the Trump administration carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in Maduro being captured and ousted from power. The operation immediately sparked fierce debate in Washington, drawing praise from many Republicans who applauded decisive action, while Democrats raised objections over Congress not being directly involved in the decision-making process.
Following Maduro’s removal, Trump announced that the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela until a new leader is chosen through elections. In the interim, Venezuela’s high court appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president. Trump made clear that Rodríguez’s position comes with strict conditions, warning that she must comply with U.S. demands or face severe consequences.
“She’ll pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said, signaling that Washington is prepared to maintain pressure on the interim government.
The president also emphasized his interest in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, making clear that energy would play a central role in rebuilding the country. Trump told Hannity that the U.S. would take charge of restoring and managing Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, predicting it would generate significant revenue as the country recovers.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil, and the oil infrastructure, we’ll be in charge of it,” Trump said. “It’s going to do great, make a lot of money, and we’re going to take it from there, but we’re going to rebuild the country, and ultimately, we’re going to have elections.”
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has been openly critical of Rodríguez’s leadership. Machado has described Rodríguez as a “main ally and liaison” for Russia, China, and Iran, raising concerns among opposition figures about foreign influence during the transition period.
Machado won an opposition primary election two years ago but was barred from running in the general election against Maduro, who claimed victory in a race that has been widely disputed. Opposition leaders and international observers have questioned the legitimacy of those results.
After Maduro’s arrest, Machado expressed confidence that she would overwhelmingly win a legitimate presidential election. Speaking to Fox News, she said, “In free and fair elections, we will win with over 90 percent of the votes. I have no doubt about it.”
Machado is expected to return to Venezuela from Europe in the near future and is scheduled to meet with Trump next week. She has also suggested that she could hand over her Nobel Peace Prize to the president, underscoring her support for his role in removing Maduro and reshaping Venezuela’s political future.
Trump’s remarks made clear that, in his view, elections must wait until stability, reconstruction, and firm oversight are in place, with rebuilding the country serving as the prerequisite for any democratic process.
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