A dramatic and controversial turn has emerged in Venezuela’s political crisis after US President Donald Trump declared himself the country’s “Interim President.”
Trump shared an image on his social media platform, Truth Social, describing himself as the “Interim President of Venezuela from January 2026.” The image was designed in a Wikipedia-style format; however, no such entry exists on the actual Wikipedia website.
Trump’s post surfaced against the backdrop of Venezuela’s ongoing political turmoil, which began after the US military reportedly arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a military operation and transferred them to New York.
Maduro is facing charges related to drug trafficking and other alleged crimes, which are currently being heard in a New York court.
Following Maduro’s arrest, Venezuela’s Supreme Court appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the interim president. Rodríguez defended the legitimacy of her appointment, demanded Maduro’s release, and also offered talks with the United States for cooperation.
After Maduro’s arrest, Trump stated that the United States would temporarily take control of Venezuela’s administration and, in the next phase, work toward establishing a “safe and suitable interim setup.”
According to Trump, during this interim period, Venezuela’s oil resources would be sold on the global market.