Overview
- Trump shared a Truth Social graphic Tuesday that showed Venezuela covered by the U.S. flag with the caption “51st State,” and the White House’s X account reposted the image.
- The online post followed Monday’s report by Fox News journalist John Roberts that Trump told him he was “considering seriously” making Venezuela a U.S. state and cited support from Venezuelans and the country’s oil wealth.
- Interim president Delcy Rodríguez, speaking in The Hague, rejected the idea outright and said Venezuela will defend its sovereignty while keeping a cooperation agenda with Washington.
- Constitutional scholars note a president cannot annex a foreign country and that admitting any new state requires an act of Congress and the clear consent of the territory under Article IV.
- The exchange comes after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January and during talks on oil, flights, and infrastructure, with Venezuelan officials meeting the top U.S. envoy in Caracas to expand energy and transport links.