Tipsheet

Over a Dozen Oil Executives to Meet the President Trump As Venezuelan Oil Market Opens to the US

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  January 09, 2026 2:30 PM

President Trump is set to meet with several oil company executives, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, among several others, on Friday at the White House, following a U.S. military operation that saw Venezuela's socialist dictator captured in around four hours. 

The meeting is expected to begin at 2 p.m. ET and include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. 

Venezuela was once among the wealthiest nations in Latin America, powered by its vast oil reserves and thriving economy. However, under the leadership of Hugo Chávez and later Nicolás Maduro, the country’s oil industry and broader economy collapsed. 

With Maduro now out of power, renewed opportunities for the Venezuelan oil market to reopen to the United States have begun to emerge.

"Following the announcement of President Trump’s historic energy deal with Venezuela, American oil companies will come to the White House to discuss investment opportunities that will restore Venezuelan oil infrastructure," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. "The American people, energy companies, and the Venezuelan people will all greatly benefit from these new, unprecedented investments in Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, thanks to President Trump."

This comes shortly after President Trump announced, Tuesday, that Venezuela would sell the United States up to 50 million barrels of oil at "market price."

I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America. This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States! I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately. It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter!