Trump Revives Call for Venezuelan Oil Assets
On December 17, 2025, President Donald Trump intensified his pressure campaign on Venezuela, demanding the return of U.S. oil assets nationalized decades ago. At a White House briefing, he accused Caracas of dispossessing American companies in the 1970s and under Presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.
“They took our oil rights—we had a lot of oil there,” Trump said. “As you know, they threw our companies out, and we want it back.” His deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, described the nationalization as “the largest recorded theft of American wealth and property.”
Just a day earlier, Trump ordered “a total, complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela,” marking a clear escalation of his administration’s months-long campaign.
The Pentagon recently seized an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coast and rerouted it to a U.S. port. The White House intends to retain the cargo—a move Caracas condemned as “piracy.”
Despite holding some of the world’s largest proven reserves, Venezuela’s crude exports to the U.S. have plunged over the past decade amid sanctions and political tensions. Chevron, operating under a U.S. waiver, reports no major disruptions.
For nearly four months, U.S. forces have maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, officially to combat drug trafficking—a rationale rejected by Venezuela as a pretext for regime change. Since early September, U.S. units sank at least 25 vessels suspected of smuggling, resulting in at least 95 deaths at sea. Yet Drug Enforcement Administration data indicate Venezuela is not a leading source of drugs entering the U.S.
A Quinnipiac University poll released on December 17 shows 63% of U.S. adults oppose the administration’s military actions against Venezuela, while only 25% support them.
As this high-stakes standoff unfolds, global investors, energy markets, and diplomatic channels will be watching closely. The outcome could reshape regional geopolitics and influence energy security strategies worldwide.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
