Trump Claims US Secures Majority Control of Venezuela's 65 Billion Barrels of Oil

Former US President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented oil agreement that would grant the United States majority control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. The arrangement is part of Washington's broader strategy to address fuel prices domestically, according to Trump's statement reported by Kyiv Post.

Trump's announcement marks a dramatic shift in US–Venezuela relations, traditionally strained since the breakdown of diplomatic ties under the Maduro government. The stated purpose of the agreement is to increase American access to crude oil supplies and help stabilize fuel costs for US consumers—an issue that has remained economically and politically significant. The scale of the claimed arrangement, if realized, would represent one of the largest direct resource-control agreements between the United States and a Latin American nation in recent decades.

The practical implementation of such a deal would face substantial legal and geopolitical obstacles. Venezuela's government, led by Nicolás Maduro, has not formally confirmed the arrangement, and the legitimacy of any oil-rights transfer remains contested internationally. The US currently maintains economic sanctions against Venezuela and does not recognize Maduro's presidency, having instead supported opposition claims. Any actual transfer of control over Venezuelan oil assets would likely depend on significant political changes within Venezuela or a shift in the international diplomatic landscape. Trump's announcement, while notable as a statement of intent, reflects broader American interest in diversifying oil sourcing away from traditional Middle Eastern suppliers and reducing dependence on OPEC production decisions.