Trump Torpedoes Nobel Winner At Presser -- Says She 'Doesn't Have Respect' To Run Her Country After She Gushed About Him

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

Jan 3rd, 2026, 1:51 pm


President Donald Trump torpedoed the idea that Nobel Peace Prize recipient María Corina Machado could assume leadership in Venezuela, saying she “doesn’t have respect” in her country. News broke after midnight Friday that the United States struck Venezuela’s capital of Caracas early Saturday morning, and at 4:21 AM, Trump announced on Truth Social that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and flown to the United States.

Tyler Pager of The New York Times scored a phoner with Trump minutes after his post, and asked about Machado. Trump punted that question for his then-scheduled 11AM presser. Machado famously dedicated the award — which she won for her activism in opposition toMaduro’s regime — to Trump, saying he deserved to win.

Trump spoke at a press conference in Florida Saturday morning, during which he made a lot of news, telling reporters that the United States “will run the country” until new leadership is found. Asked about Machado, Trump dumped cold water on her prospects to take over from Maduro, saying she’s “nice” but doesn’t have the “support” or “respect” of her country:

REPORTER: Is the U.S. Aware of the location of opposition leader Machado and have you been in contact with her?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, we haven’t really, no, we have not.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) Machado–

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think it’d be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within, or the respect, within the country She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-torpedoes-nobel-winner-at-presser-says-she-doesnt-have-respect-to-run-her-country-after-she-gushed-about-him/

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TRANSLATION: "You don't have the looks babe."

(she joins the Stefaniks and MTGs and Maces of the RW world and am waiting for the "America First" MAGat crowd, who is silent)

[Diraven]

1. Machado has too much integrity

Trump wants a fellow fascist dictator beholden to him, and it looks like that's going to be VP Rodriguez who apparently made the deal to hand over Maduro for the $50 million bounty.

[AloeVera]

2. Really? Do you have a link? Nt

[Diraven]

8. Just Trump himself

Trump claimed that Rodriguez had agreed prior to the operation that she would take over. He can't keep a secret because he wants to take all the credit and he's senile. Rodriguez is denying it but she kind of had to or else she's admitting to treason.

[AloeVera]

9. I see. A reliable source.

But seriously, it's more plausible that she turned him down and he now wants revenge. A statetement like that will get her killed. In light of that, isn't even more plausible that he is full of shit as usual, he never approached her and that he's saying this precisely to get her killed or ousted and to cause panic and confusion among Maduro's party and supporters? Make it easier to install a real puppet.

Do not believe anything at this time. I

[JI7]

10. Machado probably also opposed anything like US taking control of resources

which is the main reason for all of this.

[AloeVera]

12. How naive is she, then?

But I think the real problem with her is she was willing to sell out her country to get what she wanted. Of course she knew Trump would take the oil. She even touted it as an incentive for the invasion. She called it a "$1.7 trillion opportunity" for investors, specifically mentioning American companies would "make a lot of money".

She sold out Venezuela.

I will never understand what the hell happened to the esteemed Nobel Committee.

[Escurumbele]

26. I was trying to think where I heard that argument you present, of her selling her country

Then I remembered, it was from a Chavista, by no means am I saying you are a Chavista.

When I asked him to show the proof, just like MAGAts do, he said “let’s change the subject, I really don’t want to talk about it, you can believe what you want.”

Maybe I will be more lucky this time. Can you please provide facts about the accusation you are making about Maria Corina Machado? It is Machado you are talking about, right? If not, please accept my apologies.

[spudspud]

32. Here's what I found re: her statement re: regime change and investment opportunity:

Here's what I found:

Direct Quotes from Machado

1. At the Fortune Global Forum (October 2025):

“We’re talking about an opportunity, business opportunity, of more than $1.7 trillion. This is unique.” — Machado said in a virtual address about Venezuela’s economic potential if political and economic reforms happen.
Yahoo Finance (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/maduro-arrest-nobel-prize-winner-015137730.html)


2. At the America Business Forum (a right wing forum led by Trump and inviting other right wingers to speak) (November 5, 2025):

“I am talking about a $1.7 trillion opportunity, not only in oil and gas… but also in mining, in gold, in infrastructure, power… tourism…” — Machado outlined sectors where foreign investment could flow under her plan.
Just International (https://just-international.org/articles/nobel-peace-laureate-maria-corina-machado-offers-to-sell-1-7-trillion-of-venezuelas-assets-to-us-corporations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Look around 17:04 mark for the $1.7 trillion quote.

“This is going to be huge. We will bring rule of law. We will open markets. We will have security for foreign investment, and a transparent, massive privatization program that is waiting for you.” — Machado continued in the same speech.
Just International

Interview with Trump Jr on his podcast -->

Link to tweet

[AloeVera]

38. I'm afraid not.

You're just as unlucky this time.

No need for apologies.

The facts are already known. You don't want to believe them, perhaps. Buckle up, it's going to be an unpleasant ride. Especially for the poor Venezuelans.

Is there a Chavez avatar on DU? Unlikely, but now that I've been outed may as well go for broke.

[flamingdem]

13. Hedge fund managers are already slotted in for a trip to

Venezuela to divvy up the spoils.

You are correct. All about resources.

[Escurumbele]

30. You are most probably correct, that is what happened to Juan Guaido, his chances

to assume the presidency were vanished after he met with trump, he too won an election that Maduro stole.

trump abandoned him after Guaido refused to give him control of Venezuela’s resources.

Read chapter 9 of John Boston’s book, it’s all about Venezuela.

[iemanja]

16. She's been very supportive of Trump's fascism.

Mamdani, on the other hand, she claimed is an authoritarian.

[erpowers]

23. My Understanding

My Understanding is that Machado was more than willing to hand the country and its resources to Trump. She welcomed the idea of American companies coming into the country and taking the resources. Also, I think her politics are right leaning.

[Escurumbele]

31. That is not true, she welcomed American companies to invest, help create jobs,

Which in Venezuela’s history has happened a lot, and Venezuela and it’s citizens benefitted a lot from it.

Sorry but, you make it sound like she said “come and get our resources, it’s free”, and that is not the case.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. Well duh, horrible as she may be, she wants to keep Venezuela's sovereignty.

That’s not what’s going to happen.

Venezuela is now a puppet state for the worst actors on the planet, oil and mineral corporations. There will be a dictator installed who acts for those corporations and those corporations alone.

The people are effectively slaves to those corporate interests and have no self determination. Any attempts to regain control of sovereignty will be met with death squads.

This is a terrible day for Venezuela and democracy.

[RVN VET71]

22. But a great day for the oil corporations that gave Trump all that bribe money before the election.

Also a nervous day for Mexico and Colombia, nervous now because Venezuela may only be the first of many "regime changes" or Fascist leader wants.

[GreenWave]

4. Awww. She just got played by Trump.

[regnaD kciN]

35. On the bright side...

…she’s the early frontrunner for the 2026 Nobel Futile Asskissing Prize.

[Nigrum Cattus]

5. well of course

1) Female
2) Latina

[Eugene]

6. Silly Rabbit! Liberation is for oil!

The Slobfather betrays everyone in the end.

[alwaysinasnit]

7. Machado welcomed US pressure on Maduro. Unfortunately for her and her countrymen,

when you dance with the Devil, you don't get to pick the music.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuelas-maria-corina-machado-us-military-pressure-maduro/

[calimary]

19. Dayum!

“When you dance with the Devil, you don’t get to pick the music.”

Who said that? Did you make that up?

Quote of the week!

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Sherrilyn Kenyon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherrilyn_Kenyon

[alwaysinasnit]

21. Thanks for finding that for me!

[littlemissmartypants]

24. ❤️

[alwaysinasnit]

25. I knew I had seen something to this effect but I couldn't remember who to attribute it

to. Fortunately littlemissmartypants came to the rescue.

[Javaman]

11. me thinks that Machado, if she has any integrity left, will be the leader of the opposition against trumps puppets.

That alone is the recipe of all this going south very fast.

more so than it already is

[flamingdem]

14. I think she'll stay in hiding

She isn't trusted by anyone so it seems.

[Escurumbele]

27. Only 70% of the country voted for her, not very trustworthy I guess

Does anyone here really know how hard Machado has worked for her country? Even to get punched in the face by a Chavista during a cabinet meeting who broke her nose because she stood firm against Chavez in more than one occasion?

She has risked her life trying hard to get rid of the regime. She has been threatened daily, the regime has tried, sometimes successful, to boycott her rallies.

I beg of you, if you have facts, present them, but please, no disinformation.

[Chemical Bill]

15. Maybe if she gave him the Nobel Peace Prize. n/t

[mountain grammy]

18. She just might.

[ArizonaLib]

17. Trump distracted the press again

There should be an election scheduled - even if months away. Trump should not be able to be rewarded with being allowed to pick a hand puppet.

[Escurumbele]

29. There was an election that Maduro stole, the rightful winner was Gonzalez, but

In reality, people voted for Machado, although the votes went to Gonzalez because the regime prevented her from running. Gonzalez would have never won, had not been for Machado.

More than 70% of the votes, that is how much people want her to lead, how much they trust her.

[ArizonaLib]

36. A new election would clarify

all of that. Allow whoever is is qualified to run in a legitimate election.

[2na fisherman]

28. He's Jealous And...

Trump's mind is so twisted that he thinks he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize even though he has started a war.

[C Moon]

33. When will people learn: don't ever side with or try to kiss up to trump. He'll use you, then dump you.

I feel sorry for Venezuela: anything trump touches turns to dust.

[sakabatou]

34. Nom nom nom, went the face-eating leopard

[malthaussen]

37. He just found out it was she who received the Nobel, and not Mr Maduro.

Ketchup was flying everywhere.

"Potato, potatoh, Maduro, Machado, let's invade the country anyway."

-- Mal