WASHINGTON (Realist English). President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that interim authorities in Venezuela will transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following the recent ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
In a social media post, Trump said the barrels — described as “high quality” and under existing sanctions — will be sold at market prices, with the proceeds managed by him “to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”
Trump directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to implement the plan “immediately,” saying the oil will be moved by storage ships to unloading docks in the United States. The announcement followed days after Maduro and his wife were captured in Caracas and brought to New York to face a federal drug-trafficking indictment.
U.S. crude futures reacted modestly, with prices slipping about 1.3% to $56.39 per barrel after Trump’s statements.
The planned transfer marks a significant expansion of U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s energy sector and represents one of the largest reallocations of Venezuelan oil since sanctions and blockades were imposed as part of broader pressure on the Maduro government.
Trump has indicated that American oil companies could eventually invest heavily in rehabilitating Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, a move he says will restore production and economic stability. Talks with major U.S. producers, including Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil, are reportedly planned to discuss potential investment later this week.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday, pleading not guilty to charges tied to international narcotics trafficking.
The oil transfer plan has drawn mixed reactions, with some critics raising legal and geopolitical concerns about U.S. control of Venezuelan resources, while supporters argue it could provide financial leverage to support reconstruction and governance reforms in the crisis-stricken country.
