• Trump will meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday.
• Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been sidelined by Washington since Maduro's capture.
• Despite her accolades, Trump has not endorsed her leadership as he claims she lacks respect and support in Venezuela.
• The Nobel Institute clarified that Machado's Nobel Prize cannot be transferred to Trump, despite her suggestion to share it.
• The meeting comes after the US military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro and his wife from power.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, as confirmed by a senior administration official. This meeting follows the U.S. military operation on January 3, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, now facing trial in the U.S. on various charges, including weapons violations, according to Al Jazeera and CBS News.

Machado, a 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has largely been sidelined in discussions about Venezuela's political future, with Trump expressing uncertainty about her viability as a leader. He remarked that she lacks "support and respect within the country," despite previously having U.S. backing in past elections, according to South China Morning Post and BBC News.

During her expressed wishes to thank Trump for the military action against Maduro, Machado has also stated her desire to share her Nobel Prize with him. However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified that this award is not transferable, as confirmed by sources including Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera.

As the meeting approaches, Machado's coalition has voiced their intent to reclaim leadership of Venezuela, positioning themselves against Delcy Rodríguez, who has been recognized by the U.S. as interim president following Maduro's ousting. Trump’s administration has declared the intention to influence Venezuela’s operations, specifically its oil market, emphasizing U.S. interests in the region, according to CBS News and BBC News.