INTERNATIONAL — May 13, 2026

Donald Trump Refers to Venezuela as '51st State'

President Donald Trump referred to Venezuela as the "51st state" in a social media post, a claim rejected by interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Khaama Press2 min read

President Donald Trump has referred to Venezuela as the "51st state" in a social media post, sparking a reaction from Venezuelan officials. Trump shared an image on Truth Social showing Venezuela covered by the American flag, accompanied by the label "51st State." The official White House account later reposted the image on the platform X.

These remarks come in the wake of a U.S. military operation conducted in January 2026. That operation resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his subsequent transfer to the United States.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez responded to the post by rejecting Trump's characterization. Rodríguez stated that Venezuela is a free country and is not a colony.

Furthermore, CNN reported that Trump indicated the idea of Venezuela becoming a U.S. state is being "seriously considered."

Read the original reporting at Khaama Press

Reliability assessment

Single source provides concrete, checkable details and direct attribution to named public figures (Trump, Rodríguez) and specific platforms (Truth Social, X).

The source language reads straight.

Across the newsrooms

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Filed under

InternationalDonald Trump, Venezuela, US Foreign Policy, Delcy Rodríguez

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