US President Donald Trump has ignited international controversy after posting a digitally altered image on his social-media platform, Truth Social, depicting himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela,” days after a dramatic US intervention in the South American nation.
The image, styled to resemble a Wikipedia entry, labelled Trump as the “Acting President of Venezuela, Incumbent January 2026,” alongside his official portrait and listings as the 45th and 47th President of the United States. The unusual claim was shared on Sunday and quickly spread across social networks and global news outlets.
The post comes in the wake of a controversial US military operation in Venezuela on January 3, during which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US forces and transported to New York to face federal charges, including alleged drug trafficking. Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela in the interim to ensure an orderly political transition.
Despite the imagery shared by Trump, no official documentation or international recognition exists to support the claim that he holds any formal title or authority as Venezuela’s acting president. Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice had earlier ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the role of interim president to maintain governmental continuity following Maduro’s removal.
Political analysts and international legal experts have underscored that Trump’s portrayal on social media does not reflect constitutional or diplomatic reality, as titles of state leadership are governed by Venezuelan law and recognised by international institutions, not by unilateral assertions on digital platforms.
Trump’s post has drawn mixed reactions online and from global audiences, adding to broader debates about the US role in Venezuela and its implications for international law, sovereignty, and regional