President Donald Trump said Monday he plans to run for president of Venezuela once his current term ends, claiming he polls higher in the country than any politician in its history.
“After I’m finished with this, I can go to Venezuela,” Trump told reporters at a White House press conference. “I will quickly learn Spanish. It won’t take too long. I’m good at language, and I’m going to run for president.”
Trump called the prospect a “wonderful option” and framed it as a natural next step given what he described as unprecedented popularity among Venezuelans.
The remarks came amid sweeping US involvement in Venezuela following the January 3 capture of President Nicolás Maduro by American special forces. Maduro remains in US custody facing terrorism and drug trafficking charges.
Related: Justice Department Quietly Drops Drug Cartel Claim That Justified Venezuela Operation
Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, now serves as the country’s interim president. The Trump administration backed her appointment, citing her cooperation on oil access. The US is overseeing the sale of roughly 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil — a deal potentially worth $2.5 billion.
Related: Venezuela’s US-Appointed Acting President Has Had “Enough” Of Trump’s Orders
It’s become hard to tell when Trump is saying things in jest. In January 2026, he posted a doctored Wikipedia-style image on Truth Social declaring himself “Acting President of Venezuela.”
Any genuine bid faces a hard constitutional wall. Articles 227 and 229 of Venezuela’s 1999 Constitution require the president to be Venezuelan by birth and bar foreign nationals from holding the office entirely.
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