Trump reacts to María Corina Machado’s return to Venezuela, says he hopes she is safe

U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado’s unexpected return to Venezuela on Sunday, saying he hopes she remains safe.

“I don’t know anything about it, but I think she’s a very nice woman,” Trump said. “She gave me her Nobel Prize. So what else can I say? I hope she’s safe. She’s a very nice woman. But we’re doing very well in Venezuela.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized Nobel Prize organizers for not awarding him the peace prize, while praising Machado for giving him her medal. The Nobel Foundation has clarified that the award is irrevocable and non-transferable and cannot be shared with others.

Machado returned to Venezuela on October 25 after nearly a year abroad. She announced her arrival on social media with the message, “I am here. With you.” She had left the country in December 2025 to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo and subsequently conducted much of her political activity from the United States and Panama.

In a separate interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump claimed that the United States had “total control” of Venezuela and said his administration was treating the country fairly. He referred to the U.S. military intervention on January 3, during which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured.

“We went in and took control. And now we have total control of Venezuela,” Trump said, adding that the United States was extracting millions of barrels of oil each week.

His remarks came as Machado’s return drew renewed attention to Venezuela’s political situation and Washington’s role in the country.