Trump’s Bold Claim: Declares Himself ‘Acting President of Venezuela’ in Provocative Social Media Move

Over the weekend, former U.S. President Donald Trump created a stir on Truth Social by sharing a manipulated image of a Wikipedia page that humorously listed him as the “Acting President of Venezuela.” In reality, his actual Wikipedia page makes no such claim, and the image appears to be a playful jab. Venezuela’s interim leadership, following the ousting of dictator Nicolas Maduro, is actually held by Delcy Rodriguez.

Despite the jest, Trump seems to be asserting his influence over Venezuela. He has consistently made statements about his authority in the region, even going as far as to warn Rodriguez against opposing him. Trump’s focus appears to be on Venezuela’s substantial oil resources, which he has expressed interest in leveraging to benefit both Venezuelan and American citizens.

The online reaction, especially from critics, has been swift and vocal. Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu criticized Trump’s leadership, quipping that Trump struggles to govern both the United States and Venezuela. Lieu highlighted the U.S. government’s warning for Americans to leave Venezuela, doubting any U.S. investment there. Similarly, Moe Davis, a former Democratic congressional candidate, commented on the irony of Venezuela’s political situation, noting the criminal records of its past and present leaders. These comments reflect a broader skepticism about Trump’s claims and intentions regarding Venezuela.

Trump hosted several US oil executives at the White House on Friday to discuss potential investment opportunities in Venezuela’s deteriorating oil infrastructure. The White House has been focused on repairing the aging pipelines in the country as a means to extract wealth for both the US and Venezuela. During the session, Trump told the executives he is seeking a total of $100 billion to invest in the country’s oil apparatus.

Though some industry professionals have pushed back, noting the reality on the ground makes any investment risky. ‘We have had our assets seized there twice and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we’ve historically seen and what is currently the state,’ ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods said. ‘Today it’s uninvestable.’

On Sunday, the president noted how he didn’t like Woods’ response and that he is ‘probably inclined to keep Exxon out’ of any dealmaking in the country. So far, it appears that Rodriguez and her administration are on board with Trump’s plan to sell between 30 and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, which some estimate to be worth over $2 billion. Trump also has a scheduled meeting this week with Maria Machado, the Nobel Prize-winning Venezuelan opposition leader.