Donald Trump has sparked controversy online after sharing a graphic on his Truth Social account showing Venezuela covered with the American flag and labelled “51st State.”
The post was shared on Tuesday night while Trump was travelling to China for a major international summit, drawing widespread attention to the administration’s position on Venezuela.
The development comes shortly after Trump stated in a recent interview with Fox News that he was considering the possibility of Venezuela becoming part of the United States, citing the country’s oil resources and growing American influence there.
The discussion follows months of political tension in Venezuela after former leader Nicolas Maduro was reportedly captured by US forces earlier this year.
Reacting to the growing speculation, Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, stated that the country had “never” considered becoming a US state.
Despite rejecting the idea, Rodriguez has overseen improving diplomatic ties with Washington, including reforms that reopened Venezuela’s oil and mining sectors to foreign investment, particularly from American companies.
Meanwhile, opposition groups in Venezuela continue to demand fresh elections, although the interim government has not provided a clear timeline for when a new vote could take place.