The President of the United States, Donald Trump, once again sparked international controversy after sharing an image in which he presents himself as “interim president of Venezuela”, with his term beginning in January 2026.
The image was shared on his social network, Truth Social, and simulates a Wikipedia-style biographical profile, in which Trump is also listed as the 45th and 47th president of the United States. However, the information does not appear in any official Wikipedia article, neither in Trump’s own biography nor in the records of the Venezuelan presidency.
The U.S. president did not add any explanation or context to the post, which sparked a wave of reactions, speculation, and criticism on social media and in international media.
Trump and Venezuela: statements that fuel tension
The dissemination of this image occurs days after Donald Trump publicly stated that the United States could govern Venezuela and manage its vast oil reserves, arguing that the current Venezuelan interim government—comprised of former officials loyal to the imprisoned Nicolás Maduro—has not met Washington’s expectations.
“We’re going to use oil, and we’re going to get it. “We’re lowering oil prices and we’re going to give money to Venezuela, which desperately needs it”, Trump recently declared.
These statements have been interpreted by analysts as an unprecedented rhetorical escalation in the relationship between the United States and Venezuela.
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The United States would control the sale of Venezuelan oil
On January 7, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright assured that Washington will control the sale of Venezuelan oil indefinitely, depositing the proceeds into accounts overseen by the U.S. government.
During an energy conference organized by Goldman Sachs in Miami, Wright explained that Venezuelan crude oil will be placed on the international market under direct U.S. administration.
“We are going to put the crude oil coming out of Venezuela on the market, first this stuck oil, and then, indefinitely, we will sell the production that comes out of Venezuela”, the official said.
Venezuelan oil for the U.S. market
Wright added that the United States will allow the sale of Venezuelan oil to both U.S. refineries and international buyers, but clarified that the transactions will be conducted exclusively by the U.S. government.
According to the official, this strategy is being coordinated with Venezuelan sectors following Trump’s announcement that Venezuela will deliver between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil for sale on the U.S. market.
International reactions
The image shared by Trump and his statements about governing Venezuela and controlling its oil have sparked concern in diplomatic circles and among foreign policy experts, who warn that this rhetoric could intensify regional tensions and generate conflicts with international allies.
To date, neither the Venezuelan government nor international organizations have issued an official statement on the image shared by Trump. Neither in Trump’s own biography nor in the records of his presidency.
