Trump: Venezuela Not Ready for Elections Post-Maduro Ouster

President Donald Trump stated that Venezuela is not ready for elections, even after the U.S. facilitated the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters, Trump indicated that while elections will occur at some point, the country is not prepared at this time.

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They're not really ready for them yet.

Trump highlighted the economic benefits the U.S. has brought to Venezuela, though he did not comment on the severe devastation caused by recent major earthquakes in the region. His remarks touched upon the country's past success in Miss Universe pageants, an event he once owned.

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They're not ready yet for the elections, but at some point they will be.

The president also addressed recent trade policies, defending new tariffs announced on 60 economies as "very standard." He argued these tariffs are necessary when countries fail to enforce bans on goods made with forced labor. Trump expressed his disagreement with a Supreme Court decision that struck down previous tariffs.

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We're not after journalists, we're after leakers.

Furthermore, Trump defended subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists, clarifying that the administration is pursuing "leakers" rather than journalists themselves. He also announced plans for a "major tariff" on Mexico due to a parasite found in lettuce that caused illness in the U.S., and a tariff on Canada related to wildfire smoke impacting the U.S.

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very standard tariffs