Maduro Hails ‘Respectful’ Trump Call Amid Escalating U.S.-Venezuela Tensions

CARACAS (AP) — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared Wednesday he had a “respectful and cordial” phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the week, a claim that emerged first from Reuters amid days of speculation about direct contact between the two nations.

Maduro addressed reporters in Caracas, stating the call lasted several minutes and featured an exchange regarding future dialogue possibilities. He emphasized “respect and cordiality,” maintaining this tone even as diplomatic tensions with Washington reach new heights.

The White House subsequently confirmed that Trump had indeed spoken to Maduro, aligning with a Reuters dispatch quoting the President aboard Air Force One, but declined Maduro’s characterization of the interaction’s spirit or nature.

This outreach fits reports from WLRN, a Miami-based outlet covering Latin America and the Caribbean, which indicated Trump floated an eventual face-to-face meeting. Administration aides described this as part of a strategy involving “direct pressure.”

Senior U.S. officials revealed the President views dialogue with Maduro as reinforcing his capacity for personal diplomacy alongside intensified military and economic measures.

The U.S.-led campaign has surged since October, marked by naval interdictions targeting drug-smuggling vessels linked to Venezuela’s state structures, actions detailed in Pentagon communications regarding the Caribbean region.

Furthermore, the U.S. military conducted targeted strikes against suspected arms shipments near the eastern coast—a campaign widely reported as part of Washington’s regional operations strategy.

These escalations have drawn legislative scrutiny on Capitol Hill. A small bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for new War Powers constraints, requiring congressional authorization before further escalation occurs in Venezuela or neighboring territories.

Trump characterized Venezuelan state entities as enablers of “criminal cartels and terrorist affiliates,” vowing U.S. intolerance toward these groups’ activities—a perspective cited by CBS News during diplomatic discussions between Washington and Caracas.

Maduro has countered the U.S. stance with accusations that Trump threatens Venezuela’s sovereignty, a charge he reiterated at an earlier rally where he pledged to defend “every inch” of his nation—an assertion previously noted in Time magazine reporting.

The Venezuelan president ordered increased military patrols near critical ports and heightened air-defense readiness as defensive measures against perceived American actions.

Despite this defensive posture, Maduro consistently promoted dialogue. In November, through UPI communications, he declared Venezuela’s commitment to peace and suggested talks would occur “face-to-face,” regardless of ongoing pressure from Washington.

Administration officials assessed Maduro’s conciliatory demeanor post-call as a tactical maneuver aimed at buying time against international isolation, with the President’s combined approach of pressure and outreach allegedly forcing concessions.