Trump posts map of Venezuela as 51st U.S. state

Donald Trump, the former U.S. president, has once again stirred controversy by posting a map of Venezuela on his Truth Social platform, overlaid with the American flag and labeled as the "51st State."

This is not the first instance of Trump playing with the idea of annexing Venezuela. The notion gained traction after U.S. forces apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January and brought him to New York to face federal charges for narcoterrorism. Trump had previously stated in May that he was "seriously considering" making Venezuela the 51st state, even sharing a similar map on his social media at the time.

Since Maduro's capture, the U.S. has been overseeing the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez, aiming for a democratic transition. However, no election timeline has been established. Trump recently commented that Venezuela is not yet "ready" for elections but acknowledged progress, praising Rodríguez's work and highlighting the benefits of the oil market for both American companies and Venezuelans.

The timing of Trump's latest post is significant, as it coincides with the planned commencement of talks between the Venezuelan parliament and opposition groups, supported by Washington, to foster democracy within the country. Trump has also previously mused about making Canada or Greenland the 51st state.