President Donald Trump has stated that U.S. involvement in Venezuela may continue for years. Speaking to The New York Times, Trump said that “only time will tell” how long his administration will “oversee” the South American nation following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces during a nighttime operation on January 3.
Trump did not provide details on whether or when elections would be held to replace the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez, a Maduro loyalist.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado described Maduro’s ouster as the start of an “irreversible process” leading the country toward freedom. Journalists asked Trump about plans for Venezuela’s future days after he said his administration would directly manage the oil-rich nation.
The White House previously announced that the U.S. would control the sale of sanctioned Venezuelan oil indefinitely. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this measure is necessary to influence the interim government in Caracas.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. would “take control of Venezuela’s oil,” which holds the world’s largest proven reserves, though he acknowledged that restoring the country’s oil industry would take time. Venezuelan oil production has dropped sharply due to mismanagement under Maduro and years of U.S. sanctions.
Trump also noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in ongoing communication with Rodríguez, whom the Supreme Court, dominated by Maduro loyalists, appointed as interim leader. He claimed Rodríguez “is providing everything we feel is necessary.”
Under this interim arrangement, revenues from oil sales are designated for purchasing goods produced in the U.S., according to Trump.
Trump’s first press conference after the operation showed skepticism toward Machado, asserting she lacked the “support and respect” needed to lead Venezuela. Machado, who previously united opposition groups before the 2024 presidential elections, was barred from running by Maduro loyalists.
Machado fled Venezuela after facing government persecution, later receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo for her efforts promoting democratic rights. She has indicated plans to return to Venezuela soon, insisting that González, the opposition’s legitimately elected president, should have his mandate respected and that political prisoners must be released.
Trump framed U.S. actions in Venezuela as primarily economic and strategic, focused on utilizing the country’s oil to lower prices globally while providing humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan population. He is expected to meet representatives of the U.S.’s three largest oil companies at the White House on Friday to further discuss implementation.
