President Trump will hold a brief "pull-aside" meeting with Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez in New York next week, their first encounter since a U.S. operation in January removed Nicolás Maduro. The meeting is scheduled during the United Nations General Assembly and follows an agreement giving the United States a stake in Venezuela’s oil reserves. Trump is also set to meet leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council and other heads of state; Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to meet with Trump during the UN session.
Trump To Hold First Meeting With Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez During UN Week
Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez speaks during a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)(AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, in New York next week. The encounter will be their first since a U.S. operation in January removed Nicolás Maduro from power and left Rodríguez as Venezuela’s interim leader.
Informal 'Pull-Aside' Meeting
Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the New York meeting will be a “pull-aside” — diplomatic shorthand for a brief, informal discussion rather than a formal bilateral session — while Trump attends the annual United Nations General Assembly.
Other Scheduled Talks
Waltz told reporters that Trump also plans to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during the UN session. The meeting with Burnham would be their first since Burnham took office in July.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday Sept. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Regional And Energy Focus
Trump is also set to meet with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain — as Washington continues to seek an endgame to the war in Iran after more than six months of conflict. The White House and Caracas announced an agreement last month that would give the United States a stake in Venezuela’s oil reserves; Rodríguez described the deal as a step toward economic recovery and modernization of her country’s oil industry.
Logistics And Other Leaders
Senior administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss scheduling, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to request a meeting with Trump in New York. They noted Netanyahu’s time in the city will be limited amid Israel’s election season and that his arrival is expected after Trump departs.
Why It Matters
Analysts say the meeting signals renewed high-level engagement between Washington and Caracas and underscores how energy and regional security are shaping U.S. diplomacy at the UN General Assembly.
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
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