U.S. President Donald Trump sparked global controversy after posting an image on Truth Social portraying himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela” in January 2026, days after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were flown to New York to face federal drug trafficking and weapons-related charges, according to reports by Anadolu Agency and Reuters.
The viral post, styled like an edited Wikipedia page, has not been recognized by Wikipedia or any international body, while Trump claimed the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela and oversee its oil assets during a transition period, even as Maduro has described his arrest as a kidnapping and countries including China, Russia, Colombia, and Spain condemned the operation as a violation of international law.
Inside Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president by the National Assembly, rejecting U.S. claims of authority and demanding Maduro’s release, while warning that Venezuela’s sovereignty remains intact despite continued engagement with U.S. diplomatic and security teams in Caracas exploring a potential reopening of the U.S. Embassy.
Trump escalated rhetoric by warning Rodríguez of severe consequences if she failed to cooperate, while also claiming credit for the release of political prisoners and announcing plans for American oil companies to invest up to $100 billion to revive Venezuela’s oil sector, including an agreement to supply 50 million barrels of crude oil to the United States.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later attempted to clarify the administration’s stance, stating that Washington does not intend to directly govern Venezuela, even as the episode intensifies debate over international law, sovereignty, and the expanding scope of U.S. power following the unprecedented military intervention.
