President Donald Trump said the United States stands to gain billions, and potentially trillions, of dollars from Venezuelan oil following recent developments in U.S.–Venezuela relations.
Trump told Fox News that the interim authorities in Venezuela have agreed to hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, a move he said could generate ‘hundreds of billions… trillions’ in revenue as the oil is sold. The proceeds, he said, would be used in the interests of both Americans and Venezuelans.
Earlier this month, U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and removal of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were flown to New York to face federal charges. The operation has drawn international attention and criticism, with the United Nations and other governments questioning its legality.
Trump said Venezuelan oil will be sold on the open market and that U.S. companies will be involved in rebuilding the country’s oil infrastructure. He touted plans for major energy firms to invest at least $100 billion to rehabilitate production, although critics have noted that Venezuela’s oil facilities have long suffered from underinvestment and decay.
In discussions about future economic and political structures, Trump also invited Venezuelan opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado, a recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to Washington, signaling U.S. support for a transition toward democratic governance. He stated that rebuilding the oil sector is central to eventual elections and economic recovery in Venezuela.
The announcement comes amid broader U.S. efforts to exert influence over Venezuelan oil production and distribution. White House officials have stated Washington now has significant leverage over the country’s interim authorities, and U.S. sanctions and military actions have included seizure of tankers linked to Venezuelan crude.
Trump also linked the oil strategy to wider security goals, asserting that expanded U.S. energy control could help combat global drug trafficking and reduce the power of cartels, claims that have been a hallmark of the administration’s Caribbean and Latin American policy since mid-2025.
The Venezuelan Supreme Court appointed Vice President Delcy RodrÃguez as interim president after Maduro’s removal. RodrÃguez has acknowledged cooperation with U.S. energy interests, even as she protests the manner of Maduro’s capture and faces challenges in maintaining legitimacy at home and abroad.
The U.S. plan, if fully implemented, could reshape control over one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, with major implications for global energy markets, geopolitics, and U.S.–Latin America relations as 2026 unfolds.
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