In a move that has shattered modern diplomatic norms and sent shockwaves through the global community, President Donald Trump has declared himself the “Acting President of Venezuela” just days after authorizing the covert military capture of Nicolás Maduro. This unprecedented assertion of executive authority over a sovereign nation coincides with an escalating crisis in the Arctic, where the Trump administration has issued a stark ultimatum to Denmark regarding the acquisition of Greenland. As of January 13, 2026, Washington’s aggressive new foreign policy doctrine has brought the United States to the brink of a diplomatic rupture with NATO while simultaneously attempting to unilaterally restructure the South American energy landscape.

The “Acting President” Declaration: A New Imperial Precedent?

On Sunday, January 11, President Trump took to Truth Social to post a digitally altered image of himself with the caption “Acting President of Venezuela,” effective immediately. The declaration followed the January 3 special operations raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who have since been transported to New York to face federal narco-terrorism charges.

While Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in locally as an interim leader to preserve administrative continuity, the White House has made it clear where the true power now lies. “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago, explicitly linking the takeover to a massive Venezuela oil recovery plan. Administration officials have described an “oil quarantine” strategy, intending to seize control of the nation's vast petroleum reserves to “rebuild” the economy—and, critics argue, to offset global energy prices.

Legal and Diplomatic Fallout

Legal scholars and international observers are reeling from the implications. By claiming the title of Acting President, Trump has effectively bypassed the traditional US strategy of recognizing a local opposition leader, opting instead for direct, if symbolic, stewardship. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has attempted to soften the rhetoric, suggesting the US will merely “guide” the transition, but the President’s own words suggest a far more hands-on approach akin to a corporate receivership of a bankrupt state.

Greenland and the Arctic Security Crisis 2026

As the world digests the events in Caracas, a second geopolitical storm is brewing in the North Atlantic. Emboldened by the Venezuela operation, President Trump has renewed his push for a Greenland military acquisition, abandoning his previous offer to purchase the island in favor of coercive threats. On Friday, Trump warned that the US would secure Greenland “either the nice way or the more difficult way,” citing the need to thwart Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic.

The US Denmark Greenland dispute has rapidly escalated from a diplomatic spat to an existential crisis for the Western alliance. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded with uncharacteristic bluntness, warning that any US military move against the semi-autonomous territory would signal the “end of NATO.”

“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, everything will stop—including NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of World War II,” Frederiksen stated. Despite this, the Trump administration remains fixated on the strategic value of the island, with reports circulating of a “Make Greenland Great Again” legislative framework being drafted by Republican allies in Congress.

The “Trump Doctrine”: Transactional Force

Analysts suggest these dual crises represent the crystallization of a new “Trump Doctrine”: a raw, transactional form of interventionism that views sovereignty as conditional and alliances as negotiable. The Trump foreign policy controversy lies in its dismissal of international law in favor of direct outcomes—securing oil in Venezuela and strategic territory in the Arctic.

For the energy sector, the stakes are immense. Trump has already met with top US oil executives to discuss restarting production in the Orinoco Belt, promising that American companies will lead the Venezuela oil recovery plan. However, executives remain wary of the “uninvestable” legal vacuum created by the sudden regime change.

Global Alarm and Future Uncertainty

The simultaneous aggressive postures in the Caribbean and the Arctic have left allies scrambling. European leaders are paralyzed, torn between their reliance on US military power and their horror at Washington’s disregard for sovereignty. Meanwhile, the Trump Venezuela Maduro arrest has served as a warning to other adversarial regimes, though it has also galvanized anti-American sentiment across parts of Latin America.

As the US military solidifies its hold on Venezuelan assets and presses its advantage in the North Atlantic, the world enters 2026 in a state of precarious flux. With the President of the United States claiming the leadership of a second nation and threatening the territorial integrity of a third, the post-WWII international order faces its most severe stress test to date.