US President Donald Trump has referred to himself as “acting president of Venezuela” in an image of a mock-up of a Wikipedia page on his Truth Social account on Monday morning.
The post, which has been liked more than 24,000 times, is the latest in a string of claims that Trump and Washington are in charge of the South American country following the 3 January capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In a lightning overnight military operation led by US special forces, Maduro and his wife were taken from their Caracas compound and flown back to the United States.
Last Thursday, Trump said the US could run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years.
“Only time will tell” how long Washington would demand direct oversight of the country of some 28.5 million, said in an interview with The New York Times.
But when asked whether that meant three months, six months or a year, he replied: “I would say much longer.”
Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States will “run” Venezuela, despite its interim President Delcy Rodríguez insisting that no foreign power was governing her country.
“Who governs Venezuela? The power of the people and their constitutional government, so there is no doubt, there is no uncertainty,” Rodríguez said on Saturday.
“The Venezuelan people govern here and there is a government, the government of President Nicolás Maduro, and I have the responsibility to lead the country while he is held captive,” she added.
One day earlier, the Venezuelan government said in a statement that Caracas “has decided to initiate an exploratory process of a diplomatic nature with the government of the United States of America, aimed at the re-establishment of diplomatic missions in both countries.”
The government, led by Rodriguez, also confirmed that US Department of State officials were visiting the Venezuelan capital, and that it was in turn exploring a reciprocal visit to Washington.
According to Trump, Rodriguez was “fully” cooperating with the US, and Caracas was giving Washington “everything that we feel is necessary”.
Trump’s actual Wikipedia entry, which uses the same official portrait as his Truth Social post, does not list him as Venezuela’s acting president, listing him only as incumbent president of the United States since January 2025.
Oil tanker seizures and possible anti-cartel action
Last week, the US seized two more Venezuela-linked oil tankers that were attempting to break a naval blockade of the South American country.
The first was seized in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit while the second was boarded in the Caribbean.
The operation to seize Maduro was largely met with criticism from leaders across South America and since then Trump has extended threats to other countries in the region.
Three days ago, Trump announced that US forces would begin ground operations in Mexico targeting drug cartels, following months of naval strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
“We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico,” Trump said in an interview with broadcaster Sean Hannity on Fox News.
Trump provided no additional information on the timing or scope of the planned land attacks.
Additional sources • AP