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President Donald Trump weighed in after Venezuela beat Italy in their World Baseball Classic semifinal on Monday.
Venezuela was down a run in the seventh inning when they rallied and put three runs on the board and closed out the game with a 4-2 victory. Venezuela will now face Team USA in the finals of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night.
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The Venezuelan national team celebrates after defeating Italy in a semifinal game of the World Baseball Classic, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Trump mocked Venezuelan statehood after victory.
“Wow! Venezuela defeated Italy tonight, 4-2, in the WBC semi-final (baseball!). They look really cool. Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about. STATEMENT, #51, ANYONE?” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The new year began with the United States carrying out a military operation in Venezuela, which led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The two were returned to the United States, as they faced federal charges for weapons possession and narcoterrorism, among other crimes.
SUPPORT, SCHEDULE, CLASSIFICATION OF THE 2026 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Since then, relations between the United States and Venezuela have thawed. An American flag was recently raised over the US Embassy building in Caracas for the first time in seven years.
Meanwhile, the final of the World Baseball Classic will feature the participation of the United States and Venezuela. The Americans are in the final for the third time, having won the championship once. Venezuela is in the final for the first time.
Venezuelan pitcher Daniel Palencia reacts after the team defeated Italy during a semifinal game of the World Baseball Classic, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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The United States narrowly defeated the Dominican Republic in their semifinal, which ended with a controversial strike three.
