U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, that he spoke this week with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez about elections. Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, confirmed the conversation occurred and that it focused on the electoral process.
The discussion followed a brief meeting between the two leaders on Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Rodriguez praised the U.S. president for restarting dialogue between the two nations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that Trump and Rodriguez also discussed restructuring Venezuela's billions of dollars in sovereign debt. Rubio stated that Washington has pressed for political change, while U.S. officials have noted that any transition must be accompanied by economic and social stability.
Rodriguez, who came to power after U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro in a January raid, told the U.N. General Assembly that elections would be held as part of a transition to "full democracy." However, no firm election date has been announced. For nine months, Rodriguez has avoided giving signals about an election, while U.S. officials have said it would take time to materialize.
Trump also suggested on Saturday that he predicts the U.S. and Cuba will make a deal, though he did not provide specific details. No formal agreements have been signed following the talks with Venezuela, and further steps depend on the stability required for a transition.