Donald Trump said his former ownership of the Miss Universe pageant provides him with significant knowledge about Venezuela [1].

The comments highlight a non-traditional approach to geopolitical expertise, linking the success of beauty pageant contestants to an understanding of a nation's political readiness.

During a segment on NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers," the former president discussed his perspective on the South American nation [1]. Trump connected his business history with the pageant to his current views on the region [2]. He said, "I know a lot about Venezuela because I owned the Miss Universe pageant" [3].

Trump noted that the country's representatives have a strong track record in the competition [4]. "Miss Venezuela always did very well at Miss Universe," he said [4].

Beyond the pageant industry, Trump addressed the political climate and the possibility of democratic transitions in the country [5]. He said the country is not yet ready to hold elections, but noted that a lot of progress has been made [5].

At the time of these remarks, Trump was 80 years old [6]. The discussion focused on how his previous commercial ventures informed his views on international relations and the specific stability of Venezuela [2].

The former president's assertions regarding his expertise were based on his tenure as the owner of the Miss Universe organization [1]. This connection served as the primary basis for his claims regarding the internal state of the Venezuelan government, and its electoral capabilities [5].

“"I know a lot about Venezuela because I owned the Miss Universe pageant."”

This incident reflects a pattern of using personal business associations to establish authority on foreign policy. By equating the cultural visibility of beauty pageants with political intelligence, Trump challenges conventional diplomatic expertise, suggesting that commercial and social insights can serve as a proxy for geopolitical analysis.