&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Statehood #51?’: Trump’s sneaky Venezuela remark after WBC victory")
US President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, again floated the idea of Venezuelan statehood for the US. Trump hinted that since his takeover of the country, there had been positive changes in the South American country. He was pointing out the victory of the Venezuelan Baseball team over Italy in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) semifinals on March 16, 2026. Trump then suggested, “STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?”
"Wow! Venezuela defeated Italy tonight, 4-2, in the WBC (Baseball!) Semifinal," wrote Trump, “Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about?”
The remark follows the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, after Operation Absolute Resolve, in Venezuela, in the early hours of January 3, 2026. Maduro was then paraded through the city of New York before being placed on trial. The first hearing of the trial was on January 5, 2026, for Nacro terrorism charges. Both Maduro and Flores pleaded “not guilty”. Originally set for March 17, the second hearing was rescheduled to March 26. He is being represented by Barry Pollack, who also represented the journalist and whistleblower Julian Assange.
Venezuela will head for a matchup with the US in the final on Tuesday, March 17, at loanDepot Park in Miami. Both the US and Venezuela were among the favourites in the tournament. Venezuela dealt a huge upset in the tournament by defeating the Defending Champion Japan on its way to the final. A victory for Venezuela at the widely considered national sport of the US and favourite pastime of the country will serve as a sweet moment of redemption for the South American nation.
