US President Donald Trump has sparked global controversy after declaring himself the interim president of Venezuela, according to a post shared on his social media platform Truth Social.

In the post, Trump shared an image portraying himself as Venezuela’s acting president, claiming that he has assumed the role from January 2026. The post also named JD Vance as Venezuela’s interim vice president, further intensifying international reaction.

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The announcement follows recent US military action in Venezuela. On January 3, American forces reportedly conducted an operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were arrested and later presented before a US court.

While no official statement has been issued by the US State Department, the development marks a dramatic escalation in US-Venezuela relations, raising serious legal, diplomatic and geopolitical questions.

Analysts say the move could further destabilize South America and provoke strong responses from regional allies of Venezuela, as well as global powers monitoring the situation closely.