Trump Gives Maduro Ultimatum: Resign and Leave Venezuela or Face U.S. Action, Report Says
President Donald Trump reportedly delivered a stark ultimatum to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during a tense phone call, warning the longtime socialist ruler to resign and leave the country or face consequences, according to a report from the Miami Herald.
Sources cited in the reporting say Maduro demanded key conditions in exchange for stepping aside — including global amnesty for crimes he is accused of and the ability to retain control of Venezuela’s military while allowing free elections. The United States rejected both proposals immediately.
Instead, Trump is said to have offered a narrow path: Maduro, along with his wife and son, would be permitted safe passage out of Venezuela — but would need to depart immediately. Amnesty would also be extended to top Maduro allies, the report states.
The failed phone call reportedly took place late in the week of Nov. 16, just days after Trump publicly signaled he was open to speaking directly with Maduro. The discussion included what a formal surrender might look like, given that the U.S. State Department has a $50 million bounty on the Venezuelan leader.
After the call broke down, Trump intensified military and diplomatic pressure on Caracas. The president declared Venezuelan airspace “closed in its entirety” and warned that U.S. operations inside the country could begin “very soon.”
The directive came as the USS Gerald R. Ford — America’s largest aircraft carrier — and a Marine Expeditionary Unit remained positioned offshore, capable of amphibious deployment.
Trump later acknowledged the conversation to reporters, saying only: “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly.”
U.S. leaders have tied the escalation to Venezuelan drug-trafficking networks, which Trump has increasingly blamed on Maduro’s government.
As pressure mounts and diplomatic options narrow, concerns rise over a possible U.S. military intervention in the country of 28 million.
Trump has repeatedly hinted that additional action — including strikes “by land” — may be imminent.
