US President Donald Trump held talks with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodríguez at the UN General Assembly, marking their first face-to-face meeting since the US government expressed support for her leadership following Nicolás Maduro's ousting. Rodríguez succeeded Maduro shortly after a US operation in Caracas that resulted in his capture.
The meeting took place near the New York jail where Maduro is awaiting trial on drug trafficking and other charges. Rodríguez stated that they discussed "advancing a cooperation agenda in strategic areas such as energy, mining, and security."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles were also present at the meeting. Rodríguez's government has entered into an agreement that allows the US to manage over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, which constitutes more than 20% of the country's reserves. This agreement grants a US-led company 100-year concessions over 17 oilfields in Venezuela. Trump previously referred to this as "the biggest oil deal in world history."
During his address to the UN, Trump mentioned that the US and Venezuela control "more than 60%" of the world's oil, stating, "To the victor belong the spoils." Rodríguez is scheduled to address the UN on Wednesday. She had previously served as vice-president under Maduro and was sanctioned by the US in 2018, though those sanctions were lifted in April 2026. She was sworn in as interim president by Venezuela's National Assembly shortly after the US operation with the backing of the White House. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has faced repeated barriers to re-entering the country. Nicolás Maduro is set to face trial in June 2027.