Mike Pence Rejects Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s Leader, Questions Trump’s Foreign Policy Strategy

During an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union, Pence backed former President Donald Trump’s decision to apprehend Maduro but distanced himself from Trump’s endorsement of Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president.

“Delcy Rodríguez is not the right leader for Venezuela going forward,” Pence said. “The objective of the United States should be to restore basic liberties, revive free market principles, and ensure those goals are achieved through free and fair elections.”

Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally, has served as Venezuela’s interim president since January 3. After Maduro’s capture, Trump publicly praised her as a “terrific person” and vowed that she would “make Venezuela great again.”

Pence’s remarks followed an Associated Press report revealing that Rodríguez has been classified as a “priority target” by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration since 2022. The comments also came shortly after Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Trump in Florida.

While the White House insists that its goal is to help Venezuela move toward democratic elections, it remains unclear when the country will hold its next vote. Officials have said the timeline depends on stabilizing the political situation following Maduro’s downfall.

Sen. John Cornyn echoed similar caution on reporter Sunday, saying Trump “has multiple levers to use with Delcy Rodríguez” but aims to avoid destabilizing the country.

“The president has said we’ve learned the lessons from Iraq — toppling a regime can lead to a protracted conflict — and that’s what they want to avoid in Venezuela,” Cornyn said.

Pence Voices Concerns Over Trump’s Greenland Strategy

Pence also criticized Trump’s approach to expanding U.S. control over Greenland, a Denmark-owned territory. While acknowledging the island’s strategic importance, he raised constitutional and diplomatic concerns about Trump’s methods.

“I have concerns about using what I consider a questionable constitutional authority — such as imposing unilateral tariffs on NATO allies — to achieve this goal,” Pence said, referencing Trump’s recent 10 percent tariffs on eight European nations opposing his Greenland plan.

He warned that such moves risk damaging U.S. relationships with key allies.

“This stance threatens to fracture our strong ties not only with Denmark but with NATO partners as a whole,” Pence added.

Cornyn, however, downplayed the prospect of any military confrontation, describing Trump’s approach as one driven by negotiation rather than aggression.

“Greenland and Denmark have long been our allies,” he said. “President Trump is a dealmaker — and I expect him to make a deal.”