Former national security adviser John Bolton accused President Donald Trump of badly misreading the post-Maduro landscape in Venezuela, warning that the White House's approach could legitimize remnants of the authoritarian regime.
Bolton Says Trump Is ‘Very Confused’ On Venezuela
On Tuesday, Bolton said Trump lacks a clear grasp of Venezuela's political reality following the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro, arguing that confusion at the top is shaping flawed policy decisions.
"I don't think he understands anything about what we just talked about," Bolton told host Kate Bolduan during an appearance on CNN.
He added that Trump "is very confused" about who should lead Venezuela and how a transition should unfold.
Trump has publicly questioned whether Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has enough support to govern, despite her international recognition and opposition to Maduro's disputed rule.
Bolton Warns White House Is Legitimizing Maduro Holdovers
In posts on X the same day, Bolton warned that removing Maduro alone does not dismantle his system of power.
"The rest of the Maduro regime remains in place in Venezuela," Bolton wrote.
He added, "The White House must support the opposition, or the narcoterrorism and coordination with our adversaries will only continue."
In a separate post, he said that by failing to engage directly with the Venezuelan opposition, the administration is "giving legitimacy to an illegitimate regime," referring to officials still operating under Maduro-era institutions.
Maduro Pleads Not Guilty As US Secures Venezuelan Oil
On Monday, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to U.S. drug trafficking charges following their capture in a U.S. military operation.
Their lawyer indicated a strong defense, potentially citing Maduro's military abduction and claiming immunity as a foreign leader.
Trump claimed Venezuela's interim authorities would ship 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude oil to the U.S. following Maduro's capture, with proceeds controlled by him to benefit both countries.
He instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the plan immediately.
He warned that interim leader Vice President Delcy Rodriguez could face a situation worse than Maduro if Venezuela failed to cooperate.
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