Former LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has shared an intriguing story about a recent phone call with Donald Trump, revealing that the former U.S. president reached out to boast about his involvement in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This revelation came shortly after the U.S. launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela, which resulted in Maduro and his wife being taken into custody.

The incident occurred on January 3, when the Venezuelan leader and his wife were reportedly removed from the country following U.S. military strikes in Caracas, the capital city. This event took place just a month after Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in Washington, D.C. The decision by soccer’s governing body to award Trump this honor sparked significant controversy, with many questioning the timing and appropriateness of the recognition. Despite the backlash, it appears that Trump will retain the award, as FIFA plans to continue presenting its Peace Prize, with another recipient expected later this year.

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Trump has not shied away from highlighting his actions, and he even called Norman shortly after the announcement to discuss the matter. According to Norman, who spoke to The Athletic, the conversation was unexpected. “I sent him an email about something else and he called me and we talked about Venezuela,” Norman said. “I respect him for the frigging balls it took to do that. He needs to protect his backyard and doing Venezuela is the right thing. Even Cuba is another one. It’s 90 miles from the US shores. You only have to go back to the Fifties and the Bay of Pigs and all that stuff.”

Norman and Trump have maintained a strong relationship over the years, largely due to their shared passion for golf. During Norman’s tenure as CEO of LIV Golf, the two were frequently in touch, especially during efforts to broker an agreement between the breakaway league and the PGA Tour.

The Australian golfer played a pivotal role in launching LIV Golf in 2022, becoming a controversial figure in the sport. Known for his disruptive nature, Norman has long been associated with challenging the status quo, both during his playing career and as the league’s commissioner. He expressed pride in the changes he brought during his three-year leadership of LIV Golf.

However, Norman’s time with LIV Golf came to an end last January when he was replaced by Scott O’Neil. His association with the league officially concluded in September, and since then, LIV has undergone significant transformations, including a major overhaul of its structure and format. Despite this, Norman believes the impact he had as the face of the breakaway league has benefited players across both LIV and the PGA Tour.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to leverage sports as a platform to promote his political agenda. Recently, he made a pointed remark about Canada by congratulating the Florida Panthers for ending their streak of losing the Stanley Cup, which they had failed to win for 32 consecutive years.

During a visit to the White House, Trump welcomed the NHL franchise to celebrate their 2025 Stanley Cup victory. The event, held in the East Room of the White House, also provided an opportunity for the president to address the ongoing immigration crackdown in Minnesota. He claimed that the nation is “taking out some of the worst criminals in the world” and boasted that the U.S. has “the best crime numbers we’ve ever had.”