President Donald Trump triggered a fresh round of diplomatic and political controversy after posting a manipulated image of his Wikipedia page that falsely listed him as "Acting President of Venezuela," a move that landed amid heightened tensions following the U.S.-backed capture of Nicolás Maduro and Washington's disputed role in the country's transition.
The altered image, shared late Sunday on Trump's Truth Social account without commentary, closely mirrored his authentic Wikipedia profile but added a fabricated line declaring him "Acting President of Venezuela, Incumbent January 2026." No U.S., Venezuelan or international authority recognizes such a role, and Trump's actual Wikipedia entry contains no such designation.
The post surfaced as the administration faces scrutiny over its actions in Venezuela following Operation Absolute Resolve, a U.S. military raid on Jan. 3 that led to Maduro's arrest in Caracas and his transfer to New York. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing long-standing U.S. charges related to narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, which date back to a 2020 indictment. Maduro has pleaded not guilty and continues to assert that he remains Venezuela's legitimate leader.
In the days following the operation, Trump said the United States would temporarily "run" Venezuela to stabilize the country and restart oil production, remarks that drew sharp international criticism. He later met with U.S. oil executives to discuss potential investment, though ExxonMobil's chief executive described Venezuela as "uninvestable" under current conditions.
Washington has imposed what officials describe as an oil "quarantine," freezing Venezuelan export revenues with the stated aim of supporting an interim transition. The move has intensified debate at the United Nations and among U.S. allies about sovereignty, legality and precedent.
Inside Venezuela, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice swore in Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president on Jan. 5. Rodríguez called for "respectful relations" with Washington and pledged cooperation on development initiatives within international law, while also forming a commission to seek Maduro's release and urging national unity against what she termed "imperial aggression."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to distance the administration from suggestions of direct governance, saying there was no intention for the United States to formally run Venezuela. Still, China, Russia, Colombia and Spain condemned the U.S. operation as a violation of sovereignty, and several delegations raised concerns during emergency UN discussions.
Trump's altered Wikipedia post drew swift reaction online, where critics dismissed it as a prank or a symbol of overreach, while some supporters framed it as satire aimed at Caracas. The image was circulated amid reports that White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung has overseen similar meme-style posts on Truth Social.
