Trump Plans to Use Private Military, Starts Selling Venezuelan Oil

As Venezuelan oil sales begin, the Trump administration is moving toward the use of private military contractors to protect oil and energy infrastructure in Venezuela rather than deploying U.S. troops, according to CNN, marking a significant shift in how Washington plans to secure its interests in the country. The strategy comes as the United States has completed its first official sale of Venezuelan oil since the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the seizure of several oil tank vessels, a transaction valued at roughly $500 million, according to an administration official. With major U.S. energy companies being encouraged to reinvest in Venezuela's struggling oil sector, the White House is seeking to reassure investors that long-term security can be maintained amid lingering instability, criminal networks and the risk of retaliation against energy assets in a volatile post-Maduro landscape.

The Trump administration continues to push its plan to take complete control over Venezuela's oil operations even after a White House meeting with major U.S. oil executives in which Trump urged companies to invest $100 billion to rebuild the country's deteriorated infrastructure — a pitch met with skepticism, with Exxon's CEO calling Venezuela “uninvestable” under current conditions. As the U.S. has already begun selling Venezuelan oil, Washington is seeking ways to secure the sector, and the Department of Defense issued a Request for Information to private contractors about their ability to support potential U.S. military operations in Venezuela — a move that could cost billions of taxpayer dollars if it leads to long-term engagements.

Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had a «very good call» with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodríguez, saying the United States and Venezuela were making «tremendous progress» on issues including oil, minerals, trade and national security, and predicting a «spectacular» partnership that would help Venezuela become «great and prosperous again.» Meanwhile, 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado is visiting Washington, where she is expected to meet congressional leaders and push for democratic transition policies in Venezuela, adding pressure on Trump to support a broader political opening beyond economic cooperation.

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