The claim that Delcy Rodríguez, as acting president of Venezuela, directed a $500,000 donation to Trump's inauguration is partly true because multiple reliable sources confirm that in 2017, as Venezuela's foreign minister, she directed Citgo to make such a donation; however, the assertion that Trump 'literally sold her the presidency' is unsubstantiated and misleading since there is no evidence linking the donation to her rise to the presidency or any quid pro quo.
Misleading
So This Is Who Our Government Is Now! exposed: Unearthed documents reveal that Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, directed a $500,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. Trump literally sold her the presidency.
How Delcy Rodríguez courted Trump and rose to power in Venezuela – NBC New York
Source: nbcnewyork.com
At a glance
Verified January 7, 2026Key Evidence
Multiple independent sources confirm a $500,000 donation from Citgo directed by Delcy Rodríguez to Trump's 2017 inauguration.
Rodríguez was foreign minister at the time of the donation, not acting president.
No credible source links this donation to Trump influencing or 'selling' her the Venezuelan presidency.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple reputable news outlets including NBC New York, AP News, Fortune, The Washington Post, and others report that in 2017, Delcy Rodríguez, then Venezuela's foreign minister, directed Citgo, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company, to make a $500,000 donation to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. This fact is well documented and consistent across sources.
However, the claim that this donation equates to Trump 'selling her the presidency' is not supported by any credible evidence. The donation occurred in 2017 when Rodríguez was foreign minister and before she became acting president. There is no verified information indicating that this financial contribution influenced her political ascent or that Trump had any role in 'selling' her the presidency.
The phrase 'Trump literally sold her the presidency' is therefore a misleading interpretation or exaggeration of the documented facts. Additionally, none of the sources provide evidence of direct transactional dealings between Trump and Rodríguez regarding Venezuelan leadership. The context suggests a political maneuver by Rodríguez to court the Trump administration early in her career rather than a corrupt exchange.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source