The White House dismissed a letter sent by Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro offering direct talks with President Donald Trump, describing the message as "full of lies" and reiterating its stance that Maduro's government is illegitimate and central to drug trafficking operations in the region.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that the administration had reviewed the letter, dated September 6, but said it did not alter U.S. policy toward Venezuela. "Frankly, Maduro repeated many lies in that letter, and the position of the administration on Venezuela has not changed," Leavitt said during a briefing. "We consider the Maduro regime illegitimate, and the president has made clear he is willing to use all necessary means to stop the deadly flow of drugs from Venezuela into the United States."
📰📰📰📰📰
— karielis Arraiz (@karielis1523087) September 22, 2025
🇺🇸🇻🇪 La Casa Blanca confirma que recibió carta de Maduro: "la posición del ejecutivo sobre Venezuela no ha cambiado, Pensamos que el régimen de Maduro es ilegítimo".
La portavoz de la Casa Blanca, Karoline Leavitt, confirmó este lunes que han recibido una carta del… pic.twitter.com/uyQOr7TAUV
A Letter After Military Strikes
Maduro's message surfaced just days after U.S. forces carried out a lethal strike against a Venezuelan vessel in the Caribbean. The Trump administration claimed the boat was linked to members of the criminal gang Tren de Aragua involved in narcotrafficking, though it has not provided public evidence. Eleven people were killed in the operation, followed by three more similar missions that raised the death toll to 17 alleged traffickers.
In the letter, Maduro rejected Washington's accusations, calling them "the most shameless act of disinformation against our nation" and warning that they could lead to "catastrophic consequences across the continent." He argued that Venezuela's role in regional drug trafficking has been exaggerated, claiming that only 5 percent of Colombian drug output passes through Venezuelan territory and that most of it has already been neutralized by local authorities.
Addressing Trump directly, Maduro wrote that he was open to "direct and frank" dialogue and pointed to Richard Grenell, Trump's special envoy, as a potential mediator. He noted Grenell's past involvement in prisoner releases and deportation flights as proof that communication channels remain active.
Carta de Nicolás Maduro a Donald J Trump. pic.twitter.com/AbzN3yaAiZ
— Hugo de Payns (@IgdePablo) September 22, 2025
Escalating Rhetoric From Washington
Despite the diplomatic tone in Maduro's letter, tensions have risen sharply. Over the weekend, Trump issued a blistering statement on Truth Social demanding that Venezuela accept the immediate return of prisoners and psychiatric patients he alleges were "forced" into the United States by Caracas.
"We want Venezuela to accept immediately all prisoners and people from mental institutions including from the worst asylums in the world that the leadership of Venezuela has forced into the United States of America," Trump wrote. "Thousands of people have been seriously injured or even killed by these 'monsters.' Get them out of our country now, or the price you will pay will be incalculable!"
Trump:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 20, 2025
We want Venezuela to immediately accept all of the prisoners, and people from mental institutions, which includes the Worst in the World Insane Asylums, that Venezuelan “Leadership” has forced into the United States of America.
Thousands of people have been badly hurt,… pic.twitter.com/9Qv3y9BoHX
So far, Venezuelan authorities have not formally replied to Trump's ultimatum. However, sources close to the regime said deportation flights to Caracas have continued without interruption.
A Strained Relationship
The exchange underscores the fragile state of U.S.–Venezuela relations, which have been marked by sanctions, accusations of human rights violations, and disputes over narcotrafficking. While Maduro's government insists on dialogue, the Trump administration shows no signs of softening its hardline approach.
As 2025 draws to a close, the question remains whether the two governments can move beyond military strikes and heated rhetoric, or whether tensions will continue to escalate, with regional stability hanging in the balance.
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