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PresidentDonald Trumpbranded himself as the “president” of Venezuela in a social media post Sunday night, after signaling that the U.S.would oversee Caracas, Venezuela, for years.
Trump shareda doctored imagethat looked like a Wikipedia page that identified him as “Acting President of Venezuela” since January 2026, after the U.S.conducted strikes in Venezuela and seized its dictator,Nicolás Maduro.
Trump said Jan.3 that the U.S.would run Venezuela until a safe transition could occur, and he toldThe New York Timesin an interview published Wednesday that he anticipated that the U.S.would oversee Venezuela “much longer” than six months or a year.Even so, he did not share a more detailed estimated timeline.
President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press following U.S.military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Jan.3, 2026.(Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
The social media post also comes as theTrump administrationhas sought to reassert U.S.dominance in the Western Hemisphere, and has claimed it’s revived theMonroe Doctrine, rebranded as the “Don-roe Doctrine,” which originally sought to limit European influence in Latin America and to protect U.S.influence in the region.
TRUMP EMBRACES US INTERVENTION IN VENEZUELA, OPENS DOOR TO BROADER LATIN AMERICA PUSH
The Monroe Doctrine, first introduced in 1823 by President James Monroe, eventually was used to justify U.S.actions in the region as an “international police power” under President Theodore Roosevelt, according to the National Archives.
S.�President Trump will be the greatest President for the American and Venezuelan people in history.Congratulations, world!”
Trump announced Jan.3 that U.S.special forces conducted a “large-scale strike” against Caracas, Venezuela, and seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.Both were taken to New York andappeared in a Manhattan federal courtJan.5 on drug charges, where they each pleaded not guilty.
Nicolás Maduro is escorted by heavily armed federal agents to an armored car en route to a federal courthouse in Manhattan, New York, Jan.5, 2026.(XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
TRUMP’S VENEZUELA STRIKE SPARKS CONSTITUTIONAL CLASH AS MADURO IS HAULED INTO US
The raid came after months of pressure on Venezuela and more than two dozen strikes in Latin American waters against alleged drug traffickers as part of Trump’s effort to crack down on theinflux of drugsinto the U.S.
The Trump administration routinely stated that it did not recognizeMaduro as a legitimate headof state and said he was the leader of a drug cartel.Likewise, Trump said in December 2025 he believed it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down.
The Trump administration has justified seizing Maduro as a “law enforcement” operation, and Secretary of StateMarco Rubiosaid congressional approval wasn’t necessary since the operation didn’t amount to an “invasion.”
Sen.Marco Rubio testifies during his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan.15, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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However, lawmakers primarily on the left have questioned thelegality of the operationin Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress’ approval.
“This has been a profound constitutional failure,” Sen.Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement Jan.3.“Congress — not the President — has the sole power to authorize war.Pursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.”
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