Trump Claims Role as Venezuela’s Interim Leader After US Seizure of Maduro

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has publicly presented himself as the “acting president of Venezuela,” days after a US military operation that resulted in the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a post shared Sunday on his Truth Social platform, Trump published an image identifying himself as Venezuela’s interim leader as of January 2026.

The post followed a January 3 US military assault on Caracas, during which American forces abducted Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores and transferred them to a detention facility inside the United States.

Maduro, who was democratically elected, is now facing trial in New York on what Venezuelan officials describe as fabricated charges related to alleged arms and drug trafficking.

Trump later stated that his administration would take charge of governing Venezuela, stressing that Washington now exercises full authority over transactions tied to the country’s oil sector.

In an interview with the New York Times published Thursday, Trump said the United States could administer Venezuela and control its oil revenues for an extended period. He has also pressured US oil companies that remain hesitant to resume purchases of Venezuelan crude to restart operations in the country.

Major American oil firms, which lost their holdings after Venezuela nationalized the industry under former President Hugo Chávez nearly two decades ago, have demanded changes to Venezuelan law before returning. Trump dismissed their concerns, warning them against being “cute.”

After Maduro’s detention, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president by Venezuela’s highest court. Her administration has since entered diplomatic talks with Washington, while a US delegation of diplomatic and security officials arrived in Caracas to evaluate reopening the US embassy.

Meanwhile, supporters of Maduro have continued daily demonstrations in Caracas, demanding the immediate release of the president and his wife, who remain in US custody.