Trump Reportedly Facilitating Potential Escape for Venezuelan President Maduro to Turkey
ISTANBUL – Former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly assisting Venezuelan President nicolás Maduro in possibly securing a safe haven in Turkey, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The move, if realized, would represent a notable geopolitical maneuver involving Turkey, the United States, and Venezuela, and could reshape the landscape of the ongoing political crisis in the South American nation.
The potential arrangement comes as Maduro faces increasing international pressure and a collapsing economy. Trump, according to reports, views Turkey – and its President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – as a key partner in resolving international conflicts, citing Erdoğan’s past roles in mediating talks between Hamas and Israel, hosting peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and involvement in the Syrian conflict. “Turkey is the ideal place for both Trump and Maduro,” said Soner Cagaptay, a Turkish-American political scientist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
This potential intervention builds on a pattern of Erdoğan acting as a facilitator in complex geopolitical situations.He previously brought Hamas to the negotiating table and reportedly secured their signature on Trump’s peace plan. Turkey also hosted initial peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and is positioned to do so again should Trump’s proposed Ukraine peace plan gain traction. Erdoğan’s past actions, including encouraging Syrian militants to advance on Damascus, demonstrate a willingness to engage in high-stakes diplomatic efforts.
According to Cagaptay, a move to Turkey would not be seen as a defeat for Maduro. “If [Maduro] goes to Cuba,” he explained, “where the economy is collapsing and, like in Iran, there is hardly any freedom of movement, then good luck.” He added that relocating to Turkey “does not mean a loss of face for Trump, Maduro will not have gone to the dark side. Maduro will not feel insecure.”
The report was contributed to by Yeganeh Torbati in Istanbul.
about the Author:
Karen DeYoung is deputy editor and senior national security correspondent at The Washington Post. She has served as bureau chief in Latin America and London, as well as a white House, U.S. foreign policy and intelligence correspondent during her thirty years with the newspaper.
This article was first published in English on November 27, 2025 at Washingtonpost.com and is now available in translation to readers of the IPPEN.MEDIA portals.
