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Trump Jokes About Running for President of Venezuela in White House Briefing

The offhand line, delivered during a briefing on a rescued U.S. airman shot down over Iran, signaled his blend of political showmanship with sweeping claims about Venezuela.

Overview

  • President Trump, speaking Monday at the White House, said he could run for president of Venezuela and would "quickly" learn Spanish.
  • He made the remarks during a press conference focused on the rescue of an Air Force officer after a U.S. jet was shot down over Iran.
  • Trump said the Venezuela fight was "over in 45 minutes" and claimed the United States took "hundreds of millions of barrels of oil" from the country.
  • He compared Iran to Venezuela and said Iran could be "taken out in 1 night" if it came to a direct confrontation.
  • He repeatedly cited Venezuela’s recent upheaval, referencing the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro in January and noting acting president Delcy Rodríguez now leads the government.