A social media post from former President Joe Biden has spectacularly backfired, resurfacing to haunt him after his successor, Donald Trump, authorised a daring military operation against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
The Tweet That Came Back to Bite
Back in 2020, following an Axios report that Trump was open to meeting with Maduro, Joe Biden took to the platform X to criticise the then-president. Biden's post accused Trump of talking 'tough on Venezuela, but admir[ing] thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro.' He pledged that as president, he would 'stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy.'
The Axios report had detailed that Trump was reconsidering the US recognition of opposition figure Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader. Trump told the outlet at the time he was 'never opposed to meetings,' stating of Maduro, 'I would maybe think about that.'
Operation 'Brilliant' and the Fallout
The context changed dramatically this past Saturday. Trump deployed the US Army's elite Delta Force to capture President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia, while they slept. The couple were taken to the USS Iwo Jima and are being transported to New York City to face trial on drugs and weapons trafficking charges.
Trump, hailing the mission as 'brilliant' at a press conference from Mar-a-Lago, claimed Maduro's regime conspired to flood the US with illegal drugs. Maduro had been indicted on cocaine importation charges during Trump's first term in 2020.
Social Media Mockery and a Viral Response
In the wake of the successful raid, Biden's 2020 post quickly recirculated, sparking widespread mockery. San Diego politician Amy Reichert replied to the old tweet, writing 'This did not age well,' a comment that garnered over a million views.
Users piled on, with one noting 'Nothing about Biden aged well,' while another taunted, 'Joe isn't aging well either.' The original post itself received new replies, such as 'Oof' and 'Just checking here.' Another user posted the undignified capture photo of Maduro released by Trump, simply captioning it 'Six years later.'
The photo showed the Venezuelan president in a grey tracksuit, wearing a black eye mask and ear muffs, clutching a plastic water bottle. Following the raid, Trump announced that the United States would temporarily govern Venezuela.
The resurfaced tweet has become a focal point for critics, highlighting a stark reversal in fortunes and policy between the two American leaders regarding one of Latin America's most contentious figures.
