US President Donald Trump has drawn international attention after posting an image on his Truth Social platform portraying himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela,” a provocative move that follows a dramatic US military operation earlier this month.

In the post on Monday, Trump shared a digitally altered, Wikipedia-style profile listing him not only as President of the United States but also as Venezuela’s acting leader, complete with an “Incumbent January 2026” label and US Vice President J.D. Vance as his deputy.

The claim followed the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an operation by the US army on January 3.

The couple has since been detained and transported to the United States to face federal charges.

Trump has previously said the United States would “run” Venezuela temporarily during a transition and secure oil resources, although the administration’s Secretary of State has stated the US does not intend to govern Venezuela directly.

The post also appears to coincide with discussions of a possible meeting between Trump and Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in by the Venezuelan parliament after Maduro’s removal.

There is no official recognition or legal basis for a US president holding executive authority in Venezuela, and experts regard the imagery as symbolic or political messaging rather than a statement of constitutional fact.