President Trump has suggested that Venezuela could become the 51st state, after the country defeated Italy at the World Baseball Classic last night.
Throughout his second term in office, Trump has threatened to take control over several other countries and regions, including Greenland and Canada.
The president made the latest annexation suggestion on Truth Social shortly after Venezuela’s victory at the WBC.
“Wow!” he exclaimed. “Venezuela defeated Italy tonight, 4-2, in the WBC (Baseball!) Semifinal. They are looking really great.
“Good things are happening to Venezuela lately!” he continued. “I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE? President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Venezuela’s victory in the semi-final has propelled them to a tense rematch with the United States. The two nations faced each other in 2023, with the United States comfortably beating its opponent.
A focus on Venezuelan affairs has been a cornerstone of the U.S.’s foreign policy during Trump’s second presidency.
In January, the United States launched a high-stakes operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the petrostate’s former president. That followed weeks of airstrikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela.
In the days after Maduro was captured, Trump announced the oil companies would flood investment into Venezuela in order to modernise the country’s energy sector.
However, in recent weeks, the president has turned his attention to a spiralling crisis in the Middle East.
The U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the process.
Trump said that the attacks were launched with the goal of achieving regime change in Iran, but he has also claimed that the country was weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon.
The price of oil has also skyrocketed amid the conflict. According to GasBuddy, gas prices hit $3.68 on Sunday despite being as low as $2.88 in mid-February.
On Truth Social, Trump bragged that rising gas prices will mean that the U.S. will “make a lot of money” despite promising to cut energy costs during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Earlier this year, he caused outrage in Europe by repeatedly threatening Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump claimed that the U.S. needed the island for “national security” reasons. The president made a similar claim about Canada shortly after taking office, promising to transform it into a “cherished” 51st state.
Although the frequency of his threats against Canada has diminished, he referred to the country’s current prime minister, Mark Carney, as the “future Governor of Canada” on Truth Social as recently as last week.
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