Donald Trump has referred to himself as the “acting President of Venezuela” by sharing a fabricated Wikipedia page on his social media platform.
The current US President made the post on Truth Social, where he is depicted as the ‘incumbent’ starting from January 2026, following the capture of Nicolas Maduro. This move seems to be a jab at the interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez.
Recently, Maduro’s former vice president was sworn in after US forces apprehended the leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3 in Caracas. They have since faced narco-terrorism charges in New York, with Maduro asserting his innocence and claiming his legitimacy as the Venezuelan leader.
Trump’s fake Wikipedia entry features his official portrait from his assumption of the US presidency last year, labeling him as the “acting President of Venezuela” in addition to his role as the President of the United States.
Following the capture of Maduro, the Trump administration declared that the US would oversee Venezuela until the nation achieves stability and self-governance, without specifying a timeline for this transition.
Critics suggest that Trump’s interest in Venezuela revolves around its abundant resources, as evidenced by his meetings with oil industry executives to potentially control oil distribution in the country.
Despite Venezuela possessing the world’s largest known crude oil reserves, its daily production averages around one million barrels, significantly lower than the US’s daily output of 13.9 million barrels in October.
The White House is framing its involvement in Venezuela as an economic initiative, with Trump authorizing the seizure of tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and planning to manage the sale of previously sanctioned Venezuelan crude globally.
Venezuela’s acting president, Rodriguez, has challenged Trump’s actions, warning that she will not succumb to pressure and will rely on divine guidance. She emphasized her determination during a speech to government officials from the agricultural and industrial sectors.