Trump’s announcement reinforces Washington’s energy pivot, as it seeks to revive production and secure supplies of Venezuelan crude amid uncertainty over the country’s future.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela’s interim government, now led by acting president Delcy Rodríguez, is prepared to deliver between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to be sold on the U.S. market. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the shipment as “high-quality oil authorized in the United States.”
Trump added that he would personally oversee the use of revenue from those sales “to ensure it benefits the Venezuelan people and the United States.” Washington’s move to secure access to Venezuelan crude follows the January 3 capture of President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in Caracas and surrounding areas that has left more than fifty people dead.
According to the president, the extraction plan will be carried out immediately by the Department of Energy under Secretary Chris Wright. The 30 to 50 million barrels are to be loaded onto storage vessels and transported directly to U.S. offloading terminals, Trump said, without specifying a timeline for delivery.
Wright is scheduled to meet Wednesday with energy-sector executives at an industry event near Miami, while senior officials from several of the world’s largest oil companies could convene with Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss potential investment in Venezuela’s oil sector, according to U.S. media reports citing anonymous sources.
The announcement comes 24 hours after Rodríguez — formerly Maduro’s vice president — assumed power on an interim basis following his capture. The Trump administration immediately recognized her as its primary interlocutor and demanded “full access” to Venezuelan crude and other strategic resources.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but production remains far below capacity after years of sanctions, mismanagement, and underinvestment. Major U.S. energy companies such as Chevron and ExxonMobil have signaled interest in re-entering or expanding operations under U.S. oversight, viewing the opening as an opportunity to secure supplies of high-grade crude while positioning themselves for a broader revival of the industry.