President Donald Trump boasted that Venezuela’s leader sought his blessing before appearing in a television interview.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, 57, reportedly told Fox News anchor Bret Baier, 55, that she needed Trump’s approval before agreeing to the sit-down, according to a New York Times report.
Trump, 80, was said to have relished the display of deference so much that he has since repeatedly recounted the episode to others, the Times reported. Rodríguez has not appeared on Fox News, and it remains unclear whether Trump ultimately approved the interview.
The revelation comes as part of a New York Times profile examining how Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 55, has allegedly taken control of key aspects of Venezuela’s government, including its finances, natural resource distribution, and state operations, following the U.S. capture and arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro in January.
Rodríguez, who was appointed by Trump as interim leader following Maduro’s capture and previously served as his deputy, reportedly reached out to the president as part of a broader effort to maintain favor with the White House while navigating Venezuela’s post-Maduro political landscape.
According to the Times, the Trump administration exerts control over Rodríguez’s public appearances and statements, has pressured her to hand over Venezuelans wanted by the Justice Department, and urged her to avoid business dealings with U.S. adversaries.
The interim president, who in January declared she had “enough” of U.S. interference in Venezuela’s politics, has since fallen in line with Washington’s demands—a shift that has reportedly pleased Trump.
“Delcy Rodríguez, who is the President of Venezuela, is doing a great job, and working with U.S. Representatives very well,” Trump wrote in March after Reuters reported that the administration was building a legal case against her.
Rodríguez later drafted her own praise of the U.S. president in return, but the post reportedly had to be approved by Rubio before it was published.
Trump, who has talked about making Venezuela the 51st U.S. state, has long enjoyed public displays of praise.
The president was also showered with praise by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, 58, who “presented” her Nobel Peace Prize to him after he publicly complained about being overlooked for the honor.
“She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after receiving Machado’s gift. “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!” he added.
The Washington Post reported at the time that Trump was angered that Machado did not decline the award, with one source saying that had she announced, “‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’” she may have had a better chance of being chosen as Venezuela’s president instead of Rodríguez.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
