U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a major plan involving Venezuelan oil that is likely to have wide-reaching effects for both countries.
In a statement on January 6, 2026, Trump said that the interim authorities in Venezuela have agreed to deliver between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. This oil has been held under sanction and will now be shipped directly to U.S. ports.
Trump said the oil will be sold at its market price and that the money from the sales will be controlled by him, in his role as President of the United States. He said the funds will be used to benefit the people of both Venezuela and the United States.
To manage the plan, Trump named U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright as the official who will carry it out. Trump said the oil will be loaded from storage ships and transported straight to American docks.
The policy comes just days after a U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the United States to face federal charges. This has been widely condemned by Venezuelan authorities as an infringement of the sovereignty of their country; there is still tension between the two governments.
It is no wonder that today—the current state of its oil exports due to sanctions and economic conditions—Venezuela has one of the biggest concentrations of oil reserves in the world. The deal to transfer control of millions of barrels of oil is a turning point in relations in the region for energy resources.
In response to the announcement, U.S. crude oil prices fell, as markets adjusted to the expected increase in supply. Some U.S. refiners may benefit from access to additional crude, while discussions are also being scheduled with top American oil companies about possible future involvement in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector.
Critics of the plan have raised questions about how the arrangement will affect Venezuela’s long-term oil industry and whether the country itself will see meaningful benefits from the sales. Nevertheless, Trump’s administration asserts that such an agreement will give much-needed relief regarding the stabilization of energy supplies.
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This latest turn brings a new chapter to a complex story that has involved America, Venezuela, energy, international law, and international politics, among other aspects, across various timelines in the past.
