Donald Trump has self-proclaimed himself as the “acting President of Venezuela” by posting a fabricated Wikipedia page on his social media platform. The post on Truth Social depicts Trump as the ‘incumbent’ starting from January 2026, following the capture of Nicolas Maduro, seemingly mocking the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.
Maduro’s former vice president, Rodriguez, assumed office last week after US forces apprehended Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3 in Caracas. They have since been in New York facing narco-terrorism charges, with Maduro maintaining his innocence and asserting his legitimacy as Venezuela’s leader.
The fictitious Wikipedia entry shared by Trump features his official portrait from when he took office as US President last year, labeling him as the “acting President of Venezuela” in addition to his role as President of the United States.
The Trump administration has declared that the US will oversee Venezuela until it stabilizes and can govern independently, without specifying a timeline. Critics suggest Trump’s interests in Venezuela revolve around its resources, as evidenced by his meetings with oil company executives and efforts to control oil distribution.
Despite Venezuela holding the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, its daily production averages only about one million barrels, significantly lower than the US output of 13.9 million barrels per day in October.
The White House is portraying its involvement in Venezuela as an economic initiative, with Trump seizing Venezuelan oil tankers, assuming control of the sales of previously sanctioned crude, and planning indefinite global sales oversight.
Acting President Rodriguez has pushed back against Trump’s assertions, warning that she faces dire consequences if she does not comply with US demands to align Venezuela with American interests, particularly in granting access to US energy firms. In a public address to government officials, Rodriguez emphasized her resolve, stating, “My fate is determined by God, not by those who threaten me.”