U.S. President Donald Trump assured that “there could be discussions” with Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro “because Venezuela wants to talk” amid the growing U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean.
“We could have discussions with Maduro, and we will see how that turns out. They would like to talk,” the president told the press from the Palm Beach International Airport in Florida.
Trump opens door to talks with Maduro
Trump: “We may having some conversations with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk.” pic.twitter.com/MlobWZuK8T
– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 16, 2025
The U.S. president did not specify the date of the talks or who would be in charge of them, besides insisting that it is Venezuela that “would like to talk”, although he does not know what they are about.
“I talk to anyone, we’ll see what happens,” he mentioned.
Trump spoke just moments after the US State Department’s announcement of the designation, as of November 24, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) of the Cartel of the Suns, a group Washington links to Maduro, whose government claims it is “an invention.”
The U.S. president acknowledged, questioned by the press, that this designation “allows” Washington to attack Maduro’s assets or infrastructure inside Venezuela, but qualified that he has not said he will do so.
“It allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that, and we could argue (with Venezuela),” he assured.
The announcement of the discussions with Maduro follows U.S. press reports in October about alleged negotiations that the Venezuelan government had sought with the Trump Administration.
The Miami Herald reported that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez proposed to the U.S. to lead a transitional government without Maduro, while The New York Times noted that Caracas offered Washington to open its oil and gold to U.S. companies, and to redirect its fuel exports from China to North America.
His statements also come hours after the arrival in the Caribbean this Sunday of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest of the U.S. fleet, as part of the military deployment he has ordered in the region.
In addition, the United States announced on Sunday the destruction of another vessel allegedly carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean, where it killed three men on board whom it accused of being “narco-terrorists”, bringing to 21 similar bombings and more than 80 deaths since September.
The U.S. president, who defended these attacks, promised to keep Congress “engaged” in discussions about next steps in Venezuela.
“We have great support because it’s all about drugs. Well, in the case of Venezuela, it’s about drugs and it’s also about thousands, hundreds of thousands of people that they threw into our country, and some are members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Some, many are drug traffickers, some are murderers,” he said.
Filed under: Trump talks with Maduro
With information from EFE