Trump calls himself “acting President of Venezuela” in viral post after Maduro capture

US President Donald Trump has referred to himself as the “acting President of Venezuela” in a social media post, sharing an image styled like an edited Wikipedia page. The post appeared days after US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges.

The White House has said the United States will temporarily “run” Venezuela to oversee a controlled transition, citing security concerns. Trump also claimed the US would manage and sell Venezuelan oil during this interim period, signing an executive order declaring a national emergency and protecting Venezuelan oil revenues held in the United States.

Inside Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president. She rejected Washington’s claims of authority, demanded Maduro’s release, and declared him the country’s rightful leader. Trump warned Rodríguez of severe consequences if she failed to cooperate with US demands.

Several countries, including China, Russia, Colombia and Spain, criticised the US operation as a violation of international law. Maduro has described his removal as a kidnapping, while Washington has defended the action as necessary to address alleged narcoterrorism and regional security risks.

Trump said talks with Rodríguez were positive and claimed Venezuela agreed to supply up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. He also urged major US oil companies to invest heavily in Venezuela, saying Washington would decide which firms are allowed to operate and oversee the sector’s rebuilding.