In what might be the most eyebrow‑raising social‑media post of 2026 so far, United States President Donald Trump described himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela” on Sunday in a post on his own platform, Truth Social.
The post featured his official portrait with the bold title “Acting President of Venezuela, Incumbent January 2026” alongside his familiar designations as the 45th and 47th President of the US.
It was a statement that smacked of self-applause and creative interpretation of reality: Trump is not listed as Venezuela’s acting president in public records, and Venezuelan law names Delcy Rodríguez as the country’s interim leader after recent events in Caracas.
The unusual claim follows a US military “large‑scale” strike in Venezuela earlier this month that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were transported to New York to face narco‑terrorism conspiracy charges.
Trump has maintained that Washington will “run Venezuela until a safe, proper and judicious transition” can occur, a language that now appears to include rebranding himself as the head and messiah to cure all pressing global issues.
In an extension of that plan, Trump also claimed that Venezuela’s interim authorities would hand over “30 to 50 million barrels of high‑quality, sanctioned oil” to the US, to be sold at market rates under US control, with proceeds benefiting both countries.
He said his Energy Secretary Chris Wright had been instructed to start the plan immediately, with oil to be shipped via storage ships to US ports.
The Truth Social post came with a regional twist: Trump warned Cuba that Venezuelan oil supplies and financial assistance would be cut off, signalling a shift in policy toward Havana.
Despite the grandiosely capitalized title and nomination of himself as Venezuela’s acting president, the new interim government in Caracas under Delcy Rodríguez remains the one with legal standing in Venezuela, a fact seemingly overlooked in Trump’s latest self‑designation.
In Washington, critics note that calling yourself the leader of another nation isn’t usually done by posting a picture online. But then, this isn’t usually politics in 2026.
Also Read: Not Guilty, Decent, Still President: Maduro Tells US Court https://www.vibesofindia.com/not-guilty-decent-still-president-maduro-tells-us-court/
