Washington: US President Donald Trump has shared an image on social media portraying himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela.” The image appeared to be an edited version of a Wikipedia page, listing Trump as the incumbent Venezuelan president as of January 2026, while also mentioning his official positions as the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
The post came as Trump spoke about improving relations between the United States and Venezuela, highlighting ongoing diplomatic engagement and oil-related discussions. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US was “working along really well” with Venezuela’s leadership following the US operation that led to the removal of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“Venezuela is really working out well. We’re working along really well with the leadership, and we’ll see how it all works out,” Trump said.
Trump revealed that Venezuela had requested the US to accept a large oil shipment. According to him, the shipment involved 50 million barrels of oil, valued at $4 billion to $4.2 billion, which he said was already on its way to the United States.
On potential diplomatic meetings, Trump said he would meet Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez at some point, describing her as “very good.” He also indicated that he was expecting to meet opposition leader Maria Corina Machado later in the week.
The US president noted strong interest from oil companies in Venezuela’s energy sector but criticised ExxonMobil, saying he was dissatisfied with the company’s response. “They’re playing too cute,” he remarked.
Trump assured energy firms of safety and stability, stating that guarantees would be provided to ensure smooth operations. He blamed past challenges in Venezuela on previous US administrations. “They had problems in the past because they didn’t have Trump as a president,” he said.
Trump also referred to broader regional diplomacy, including discussions involving Cuba, though he did not offer further details. Earlier, he had posted on social media that no oil or money would be sent from Venezuela to Cuba and said the US military would be involved in enforcing the policy.
“Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years,” Trump wrote, adding that the United States would protect Venezuela using its military power.