President Donald Trump has declared that Venezuela’s oil will begin flowing again under a new administration plan, with oil companies playing a central role in rebuilding infrastructure and administering the country’s vast reserves after the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The move, backed by military strikes and a total blockade, aims to end what Trump calls a theft of U.S. oil and restore economic stability to the South American nation.
On January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump delivered a dramatic announcement following the surprise military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s longtime leader. In a press conference, Trump declared that the United States would “get the oil flowing the way it should be” in Venezuela — a promise that immediately transformed from rhetoric into a bold, strategic blueprint for economic and geopolitical control.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump stated. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s plan hinges on the immediate involvement of oil companies — a move that is both unprecedented and strategically significant. With Maduro’s removal from power, the United States will assume control of Venezuela’s oil sector until a new government can be established. This is not a temporary arrangement — it is a long-term administration of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, with oil companies serving as the operational backbone.
“We’ll be selling oil, probably in much larger doses, because they couldn’t produce very much because their infrastructure was so bad,” Trump said, acknowledging the state of Venezuela’s oil industry. This statement underscores a critical reality: Venezuela’s oil reserves, though the largest in the world, have been largely untapped and underutilized due to decades of mismanagement, corruption, and U.S. sanctions.
For decades, Venezuela’s oil industry has been controlled by state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), which has limited foreign participation. The only major exception was Chevron, which operated through a joint venture with PDVSA. However, the Trump administration canceled Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela early in 2025, only to reinstate it in July under a limited agreement — a move that was met with skepticism and confusion.
Trump’s announcement follows a series of escalating actions against Venezuela’s oil sector. In December 2025, the U.S. seized three oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela — two carrying exported crude oil, and a third that fled U.S. forces and reregistered as a Russian ship to evade seizure. The U.S. also imposed a total blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, effectively cutting off Venezuela’s access to global markets.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be,” Trump added, emphasizing that the U.S. will continue to sell oil to countries that previously bought Venezuelan oil — including Russia and China. This is a calculated move to ensure that the U.S. maintains a strategic foothold in the global oil market, even as it seeks to dismantle Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
The capture of Maduro and the subsequent military operation are not merely tactical victories — they are part of a broader geopolitical strategy. Venezuela has long been a key player in the global oil market, with oil accounting for around 90% of its exports. The U.S. has targeted Venezuela’s oil exports for years, citing its support for U.S. adversaries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia. The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger effort to reshape Venezuela’s economy and end what Trump calls a “theft” of U.S. oil.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s plan to “run” Venezuela until a new leader can be selected is a bold and unprecedented move. The U.S. will have a “presence in Venezuela, as it pertains to oil,” Trump said, signaling that the U.S. will maintain a direct role in the administration of Venezuela’s oil sector. This is not a temporary arrangement — it is a long-term strategy to ensure that Venezuela’s oil reserves are managed in a way that benefits the United States.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s announcement follows a series of escalating actions against Venezuela’s oil sector. In December 2025, the U.S. seized three oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela — two carrying exported crude oil, and a third that fled U.S. forces and reregistered as a Russian ship to evade seizure. The U.S. also imposed a total blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, effectively cutting off Venezuela’s access to global markets.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be,” Trump added, emphasizing that the U.S. will continue to sell oil to countries that previously bought Venezuelan oil — including Russia and China. This is a calculated move to ensure that the U.S. maintains a strategic foothold in the global oil market, even as it seeks to dismantle Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
The capture of Maduro and the subsequent military operation are not merely tactical victories — they are part of a broader geopolitical strategy. Venezuela has long been a key player in the global oil market, with oil accounting for around 90% of its exports. The U.S. has targeted Venezuela’s oil exports for years, citing its support for U.S. adversaries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia. The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger effort to reshape Venezuela’s economy and end what Trump calls a “theft” of U.S. oil.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s plan to “run” Venezuela until a new leader can be selected is a bold and unprecedented move. The U.S. will have a “presence in Venezuela, as it pertains to oil,” Trump said, signaling that the U.S. will maintain a direct role in the administration of Venezuela’s oil sector. This is not a temporary arrangement — it is a long-term strategy to ensure that Venezuela’s oil reserves are managed in a way that benefits the United States.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s announcement follows a series of escalating actions against Venezuela’s oil sector. In December 2025, the U.S. seized three oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela — two carrying exported crude oil, and a third that fled U.S. forces and reregistered as a Russian ship to evade seizure. The U.S. also imposed a total blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, effectively cutting off Venezuela’s access to global markets.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be,” Trump added, emphasizing that the U.S. will continue to sell oil to countries that previously bought Venezuelan oil — including Russia and China. This is a calculated move to ensure that the U.S. maintains a strategic foothold in the global oil market, even as it seeks to dismantle Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
The capture of Maduro and the subsequent military operation are not merely tactical victories — they are part of a broader geopolitical strategy. Venezuela has long been a key player in the global oil market, with oil accounting for around 90% of its exports. The U.S. has targeted Venezuela’s oil exports for years, citing its support for U.S. adversaries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia. The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger effort to reshape Venezuela’s economy and end what Trump calls a “theft” of U.S. oil.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s plan to “run” Venezuela until a new leader can be selected is a bold and unprecedented move. The U.S. will have a “presence in Venezuela, as it pertains to oil,” Trump said, signaling that the U.S. will maintain a direct role in the administration of Venezuela’s oil sector. This is not a temporary arrangement — it is a long-term strategy to ensure that Venezuela’s oil reserves are managed in a way that benefits the United States.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s announcement follows a series of escalating actions against Venezuela’s oil sector. In December 2025, the U.S. seized three oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela — two carrying exported crude oil, and a third that fled U.S. forces and reregistered as a Russian ship to evade seizure. The U.S. also imposed a total blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, effectively cutting off Venezuela’s access to global markets.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be,” Trump added, emphasizing that the U.S. will continue to sell oil to countries that previously bought Venezuelan oil — including Russia and China. This is a calculated move to ensure that the U.S. maintains a strategic foothold in the global oil market, even as it seeks to dismantle Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
The capture of Maduro and the subsequent military operation are not merely tactical victories — they are part of a broader geopolitical strategy. Venezuela has long been a key player in the global oil market, with oil accounting for around 90% of its exports. The U.S. has targeted Venezuela’s oil exports for years, citing its support for U.S. adversaries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia. The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger effort to reshape Venezuela’s economy and end what Trump calls a “theft” of U.S. oil.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s plan to “run” Venezuela until a new leader can be selected is a bold and unprecedented move. The U.S. will have a “presence in Venezuela, as it pertains to oil,” Trump said, signaling that the U.S. will maintain a direct role in the administration of Venezuela’s oil sector. This is not a temporary arrangement — it is a long-term strategy to ensure that Venezuela’s oil reserves are managed in a way that benefits the United States.
“We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars,” Trump said. “The cost will be paid for by the oil companies directly, but they will be reimbursed.” This statement was not merely a policy proposal — it was a declaration of intent to fundamentally reshape Venezuela’s oil economy, with American oil giants at the helm.
Trump’s announcement follows a series of escalating actions against Venezuela’s oil sector. In December 2025, the U.S. seized three oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela — two carrying exported crude oil, and a third that fled U.S. forces and reregistered as a Russian ship to evade seizure. The U.S. also imposed a total blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, effectively cutting off Venezuela’s access to global markets.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it
