President Donald Trump indicated Thursday evening that he will meet with María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, next week in Washington, after refusing to support her to lead the country following the U.S. seizure of Nicolás Maduro.

Machado has tried to ingratiate herself to Trump and earlier this week offered to give him the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded last year. Trump has long coveted the award.

“I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump told the Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview at the White House.

Machado led a successful election campaign in 2024 against Maduro and had the greatest popular legitimacy to lead the nation, but Trump has said she doesn’t have the necessary support or respect within Venezuela to govern it. Despite losing the election, Maduro claimed victory and remained in power until the U.S. intervened.

On Monday, Machado said on Fox News that presenting the prize to Trump would be a token of gratitude from the Venezuelan people for the removal of Maduro. She had previously dedicated the award to Trump.

Trump said in the Thursday interview that “it would be a great honor” to accept the award, adding that it was “a major embarrassment to Norway,” where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, that he had not been given the prize.

Trump often claims credit for having ended several wars since taking office in January, and has taken credit for release of political prisoners underway in Venezuela.

In some cases, warring parties have credited him with advancing peace or calming hostilities. In others, his role is disputed or less clear, or fighting has resumed.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

—

By Lynsey Chutel/Adriana Loureiro Fernandez

c. 2026 The New York Times Company