Trump says Venezuelan oil is already coming into American refineries [View all]
Source: USA Today
Jan. 24, 2026, 10:01 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON – Venezuelan oil seized by the United States is already being processed at American refineries, according to President Donald Trump.
In a Jan. 23 interview with the New York Post, the president said the oil was "coming into the refineries in Houston, in various places.” "Let’s put it this way," he said. "They don’t have any oil. We take the oil."
Trump said he "wasn't allowed" to disclose the location of seven tankers the American military has taken from the beleaguered Latin American country. Since capturing and deposing Venezuela's leader on Jan. 3 and declaring the U.S. would take over the nation's vast oil reserves, the president has encouraged the heads of major oil companies to invest in rebuilding its energy sector and increase output following years of crippling sanctions.
The administration secured its first sale of Venezuela's oil in a deal worth $500 million, an administration official said this week. Three sources with knowledge previously told USA TODAY that some of those funds would be stored in an account in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/24/donald-trump-venezuelan-oil-new-york-post-interview/88335555007/
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