Author reveals why Maduro’s dancing 'pierced' Trump directly: 'Thing you must not do is mock him'

WASHINGTON, DC: A veteran author who has closely studied President Donald Trump said Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s public dancing was especially galling to Trump in part because the president “personalizes” mockery in foreign relations.

The remarks came on 'Inside Trump’s Head', a podcast co-hosted by journalist Michael Wolff, who has written multiple books about Trump’s psyche and political behavior.

Michael Wolff reveals what hits Trump hardest

“Trump personalizes these things,” Wolff said on the show. “It only really works for him if he personalizes it.”

“The Walz thing: I am against him. The Newsom thing: I am against him. I need an enemy, and the enemy is not an abstraction. It’s a person. In this case, it was Maduro”, Wolff said on the show.

Wolff pointed to a video that surfaced in late 2025 showing Maduro dancing at public events, a performance that, according to reports in The New York Times, was interpreted by some inside the White House as signaling defiance and even mockery of US pressure.

Wolff described how Trump and his team had tried unsuccessfully to negotiate an exit for Maduro, including offers that reportedly included a more comfortable post-political life abroad. 

When Maduro rebuffed those efforts and then appeared carefree and defiant on state television, Wolff said it struck a personal nerve.

“Remember, they offered him all kinds of stuff, you know, ‘We’ll set you up anywhere you want, a luxurious retirement,’ and he said, completely rejected that and then danced in a mocking fashion,” Wolff said.

“It pierces Trump directly when you mock him. The thing you must not do is mock Donald Trump,” Wolff warned.

Maduro, dance and provocation

Earlier, addressing Republican lawmakers at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, Trump accused Maduro of being violent, responsible for mass killings, and running torture chambers in Caracas that he claimed were now being shut down.

He also accused Maduro of trying to imitate his dance moves. 

Maduro’s public dancing, often in full view of Venezuelan state media, reportedly convinced some Trump advisers that Maduro was not only defying US pressure but mockingly signaling that Washington’s threats were ineffective.

In late December, Maduro was said to have rejected an ultimatum to step down and go into exile.

Days later, after diplomatic efforts stalled, the US carried out a military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and removal from power.

Nicolas Maduro in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed Federal agents (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

Wolff’s analysis suggests that, beyond bilateral tensions, personal dynamics may have played a role in how Trump and his team interpreted Maduro’s behavior leading to the strikes.