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President Donald Trump is eyeing oil-rich Venezuela as a potential 51st state as officials continue to court oil companies for investments in the South American country following the U.S. intervention that removed President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Trump said in a phone call with Fox News that he is motivated by the estimated $40 trillion value of oil in Venezuela, adding that he is popular with the country’s citizens.
“Venezuela loves Trump,” Trump said.
After U.S. military officials captured Maduro in January, whom the Justice Department indicted on narco-terrorism charges, Trump said the United States would “run” the country during its transitional period and work with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
US CAPTURE OF MADURO THROWS SPOTLIGHT ON VENEZUELA’S MASSIVE OIL RESERVES
In January, Trump pledged to have the U.S. oil industry “up and and running” again in Venezuela. Major energy companies like Exxon and Conoco were expelled from the country nearly 20 years ago when former President Hugo Chavez nationalized the oil industry, leaving Chevron as the only U.S. major oil company with investments in Venezuela.
For months, cabinet officials and White House energy advisers have held meetings with top oil executives from major companies, urging them to invest in Venezuela.
With the Trump administration now managing Venezuela’s oil sector, exports in April reached more than 1 million barrels per day, the highest level since 2018.
“As the President has said, relations between Venezuela and the United States have been extraordinary. Oil is starting to flow, and large amounts of money, unseen for many years, will soon be helping the great people of Venezuela,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Only President Trump can be credited for the revitalization of this newfound partnership – and the best is yet to come!”
The spokesperson did not provide details about what Trump’s plan to make Venezuela a part of the United States would look like.
Trump’s interest in Venezuela’s oil has been known since Maduro’s ousting. He has argued that securing Venezuela’s oil supplies would help stabilize the country’s economy, a step he deems crucial to establishing a stable democracy.
TRUMP’S VENEZUELA STRIKE SPARKS CONSTITUTIONAL CLASH AS MADURO IS HAULED INTO US
But in March Trump posted on Truth Social suggesting that Venezuela would instead become a state.
“Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?” Trump posted.
For Trump to annex Venezuela and make it a state, it would require congressional approval and consent from Venezuela, which Rodriguez said would never happen.
“That would never have been considered, because if there is one thing we Venezuelan men and women have, it is that we love our independence process, we love our heroes and heroines of independence,” Rodriguez told reporters on Monday when asked about Trump’s eyes on Venezuela.
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Venezuela is just the latest country Trump has threatened to annex with the list including Greenland, Canada, Cuba, and Panama.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the State Department for further comment.
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