Patriot Brief
What Happened: President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela’s interim authorities will transfer between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States.
Why It Matters: The move signals direct U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil assets following the capture of Nicolás Maduro and marks a dramatic shift in regional power dynamics.
Bottom Line: Trump is leveraging Venezuela’s oil wealth to benefit both Americans and Venezuelans while asserting U.S. authority during the transition.
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Venezuela’s interim authorities will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of high quality sanctioned oil to the United States, a move that underscores Washington’s growing control over the country’s future.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the oil would be sold at market price and that he would personally oversee how the proceeds are used. “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. “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!”
Trump said he directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the plan immediately, with the oil transported by storage ships and unloaded directly at U.S. ports.
The announcement follows the U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. After their capture, Trump said the United States would “run everything” related to Venezuela’s oil reserves during the transition period.
The scale of those reserves is staggering. Breitbart News reporter Nick Gilbertson cited the Kobeissi Report, which estimates Venezuela holds roughly $17.3 trillion in oil reserves at current prices, a figure exceeding the combined global GDP excluding the United States and China.
For Trump, the message is clear. American power is back, socialist regimes are collapsing, and the world’s largest oil reserves will no longer bankroll corruption while Americans foot the bill.
Photo credit: Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images


