US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy after publicly referring to himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela” in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. The claim has reignited debate over Washington’s expanding role in the oil-rich South American country and the implications of recent US military actions there.
The post, shared on Sunday, featured Trump’s official portrait alongside the title “Acting President of Venezuela, Incumbent January 2026.” The image also identified him as the 45th and 47th President of the United States, noting that he assumed office again on January 20, 2025. The declaration immediately drew attention for its unprecedented nature and lack of any formal legal basis under international norms.
Trump’s assertion surfaced weeks after the United States carried out what it described as a “large-scale” military operation in Venezuela. During that action, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and transported to New York. Both are now facing indictments related to alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in US courts.
Following the operation, Trump said the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela’s administration until what he described as a “safe, proper and judicious transition” could be completed. He argued that leaving a power vacuum in Caracas could further damage Venezuelan interests and destabilise the region.
In the aftermath of Maduro’s removal, Venezuela’s Vice President and Oil Minister, Delcy Rodríguez, was formally sworn in last week as the country’s Interim President. Her appointment has been described by critics as disputed and lacking broad international legitimacy.
Trump has also claimed that the interim authorities in Caracas would transfer between 30 and 50 million barrels of what he called “high-quality, sanctioned oil” to the United States. According to him, the oil would be sold at market prices, with the proceeds managed by the US administration and used in ways intended to benefit both Venezuela and the United States.
He said he had instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to implement the plan without delay, with the oil to be transported to American ports via storage ships. The announcement signalled a deeper level of US involvement in Venezuela’s energy sector.
The Truth Social post also carried warnings directed at Cuba, with Trump stating that Venezuelan oil shipments and financial support to the island nation would be halted, indicating a broader realignment of US policy in the region.
Despite Trump’s online declaration, there is no official recognition of him as Venezuela’s acting president in widely used public records or reference platforms. What is formally documented instead is the US military intervention, the capture of Maduro, and the contested interim leadership currently governing from Caracas.
