US President Donald Trump declared himself the “Acting President of Venezuela” following the US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Trump shared the claim on his social media platform, Truth Social, posting an edited image portraying himself as “acting president” alongside his official portrait. The post also listed US Vice President JD Vance as the “Vice President of Venezuela.”
However, Venezuela’s official Wikipedia page does not recognize Trump in this capacity, and no international body has endorsed or recognized his claim. The post followed the US military’s removal of Maduro, who was transported to New York to face federal charges related to drug trafficking. During a press conference, Trump hailed the operation as a display of American strength and announced that the US would manage Venezuela until a political transition took place.
In the wake of the operation, Maduro, who faces several criminal charges, pleaded not guilty in a federal court in New York. The UN expressed concerns over the legality of the strike, which marked the most significant US intervention in Latin America since the 1989 Panama invasion.
