U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh international controversy after posting a graphic on his Truth Social platform depicting Venezuela as the “51st State” of the United States.
The image, shared Tuesday while Trump travelled to China for a major diplomatic summit, showed a map of Venezuela overlaid with the American flag alongside the words “51st State.”
The post came just a day after Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, publicly rejected suggestions that the South American nation could ever become part of the United States.
“That would never have been considered,” Rodríguez said earlier this week, insisting Venezuelans remained proud of their independence and sovereignty.
Trump had earlier told Fox News he was “seriously considering” the possibility of incorporating Venezuela into the United States after months of publicly boasting about American influence over the oil-rich country following the January capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
The provocative post has intensified debate across Latin America over Washington’s role in Venezuela’s political future and broader U.S. influence in the region.
Critics in the region described the imagery as inflammatory and disrespectful to Venezuelan sovereignty, while supporters of Trump framed it as political messaging tied to closer economic integration and growing U.S. influence in Caracas.
The White House’s official social media account also reportedly reshared the image, further amplifying international reactions.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have shifted significantly in recent months after Rodríguez’s interim administration introduced reforms reopening Venezuela’s oil and mining sectors to foreign investors, particularly U.S. companies.
However, political uncertainty remains high inside Venezuela, where opposition groups continue demanding fresh elections and constitutional reforms.
Rodríguez recently said she could not confirm when new elections would take place, stating only that they would happen “sometime.”
Trump’s comments also come amid wider geopolitical tensions as his administration faces criticism over increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward foreign nations, including previous remarks about Greenland and Canada becoming part of the United States.
Analysts say the Venezuela post may complicate Washington’s diplomatic relations in Latin America at a time when the U.S. is also seeking regional support over conflicts involving Iran, global energy security and migration.
