The video was published on YouTube by Sky News.
On January 14, Trump had a telephone conversation with the interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez. And the next day, CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with her in Caracas, the media wrote.
On January 15, Trump met in Washington with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado.
Journalists asked the American president why the United States is negotiating with Maduro Rodriguez's successor, and not with Machado, who is supported by the people of Venezuela.
“Well, you may remember about a place called Iraq, where they fired everyone. Everyone – the police, the generals. Everyone was fired. And they ended up becoming ISIS […] “I remember that,” Trump responded.
At the same time, the head of the White House spoke about Machado.
“I had a great meeting yesterday with someone for whom I have great respect. And she certainly has respect for me and our country. And she gave me her Nobel Prize medal [мира]Trump said. “I’ll tell you that I recognized her.” I had never met her before. And I was very impressed. She is truly a wonderful woman.”
Reporter: Why align with Delcy Rodríguez instead of Machado?
Trump: If you ever remember a place called Iraq where everyone was fired, every single person, the police, the generals, everyone was fired, and they ended up being ISIS.
Instead of just getting down to business,… pic.twitter.com/cfKxxCqYIr
— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 16, 2026
Context
On the night of January 3, the United States conducted a special operation in Caracas, during which Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were detained and taken out of Venezuela. According to CBS, they were captured by the elite special forces unit of the US Army, Delta. Maduro and Flores appeared in court in New York.
According to the Venezuelan Ministry of Internal Affairs, 100 people died due to the US special operation. Bild wrote that Trump could have a secret deal with Maduro’s entourage.
Trump at a briefing on January 3 said that the United States will lead Venezuela until the government there changes. On January 4, Bloomberg, citing a source, wrote that US Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio will play a leading role in governing Venezuela.
Politico reported on Jan. 5 that the White House is demanding at least three things from Rodriguez: getting tough on drug trafficking, expelling Iranian, Cuban and other operatives from countries or networks hostile to Washington, and stopping oil sales to U.S. adversaries.
In an interview published on January 4, Rubio said that the United States will not allow Venezuela to become a hub for Iran, Russia and China.
On January 9, Trump admitted that the United States was planning a “second wave” of special operations in Venezuela, but the people there “did the smart thing.”
On January 11, the US Treasury Department admitted lifting some of the sanctions on Venezuela.
