Trump Claims Control Over Venezuelan Oil Deal Benefiting Washington

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuela’s interim authorities have agreed to transfer between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States under a new arrangement he says will serve the interests of both countries.

According to Trump, the oil—described as high quality—will be sold at market prices, with the proceeds placed under his direct control as president. He asserted that the funds would be used to benefit both the Venezuelan population and the United States.

“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION barrels of high-quality, sanctioned oil to the United States of America,” Trump wrote on his official social media account. “This oil will be sold at its market price, and that money will be controlled by me… to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”

Trump said he has instructed US Energy Secretary Chris Wright to implement the plan immediately. The oil is expected to be transported using storage vessels and delivered directly to US unloading facilities.

The announcement follows earlier signals from Trump to American oil executives. About a month before the US military action against Venezuela, he reportedly told industry leaders to “get ready,” hinting that access to the country’s vast oil reserves was imminent. At the time, no specific policy details were offered.

Trump later made his intentions explicit, declaring that the US aimed to extract “a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground” and indicating that Venezuela’s oil resources would be taken under Washington’s control.

Despite the US aggression, Venezuela’s state-run oil production and refining infrastructure remained intact and operational, according to sources familiar with Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. [PDVSA]. The country holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves—estimated at around 303 billion barrels, or roughly 17% of global supply—surpassing even Saudi Arabia.

Analysts note that the apparent decision to avoid targeting Venezuela’s energy infrastructure aligns with Trump’s stated objective of securing access for US oil companies. While the port of La Guaira, which is not typically used for oil exports, reportedly suffered significant damage, key oil facilities were left untouched.

Observers suggest this restraint reflects Washington’s intention to preserve Venezuela’s oil assets for future US corporate involvement rather than concerns over infrastructure protection or humanitarian consequences. PDVSA’s continued operations further reinforce claims that the country’s oil sector was deliberately spared to enable future exploitation by the United States.