Trump Claims US Deal With Venezuela for 65B Barrels of Oil

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States has struck a deal with Venezuela to secure majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves, disclosing the agreement in a social media post that immediately drew international attention. The announcement marks a dramatic shift in relations between Washington and Caracas, two governments that have been at odds for years over sanctions, democracy, and energy policy.

The scale of the claimed reserves would represent one of the largest single energy agreements in modern history. Venezuela already holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, and a deal granting the US majority control would represent an extraordinary geopolitical and economic realignment in the Western Hemisphere. Trump did not detail the specific terms, timelines, or corporate structures that would govern the arrangement.

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The announcement comes amid ongoing US pressure on Venezuela through economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation, raising immediate questions about what Venezuela received in return and whether existing restrictions on American companies doing business with Caracas would be lifted or modified. Analysts will be scrutinizing whether the deal has legal standing under current US law and what role, if any, American energy companies would play in developing the fields.

Details remain sparse, and the White House had not released formal documentation at the time of the announcement. Observers noted that Trump's framing — delivered via social media rather than a formal press conference or treaty signing — leaves significant uncertainty about the deal's enforceability and scope. Congressional and industry reaction is expected to follow rapidly as more information becomes available.

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