US President Donald Trump on Saturday that Washington-Caracas ties are improving as Venezuela has offered the United States “50 million barrels of oil” worth USD 5.2 billion, and he has agreed to that deal.
Addressing the press, Trump said, “We’re dealing with the new President. We’re dealing with a lot of the people who are running the country…They said, we have 50 million barrels of oil, and we have to get it processed immediately because we have no room. Will you take it? I said, we’ll take it. It’s equivalent to USD 5.2 billion.”
“I didn’t have to consult with anybody on that…We’ve had a great relationship with the people who are currently the Interim President and everybody else. A lot of pressure has been released,” he added.
Trump further commended the “great relationship” with the Venezuelan interim government, formed after the US captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation.
“Now I like Venezuela very much. I say good things. I don’t talk about Venezuela negatively. I think it’s a wonderful country…It’s changed so much in literally a week; it was one of the great military manoeuvres of all time. It was flawless,” the US President said.
#WATCH | On Venezuela, US President Donald Trump says, “Now I like Venezuela very much. I say good things. I don’t talk about Venezuela negatively. I think it’s a wonderful country…It’s changed so much in literally a week; it was one of the great military manoeuvres of all… pic.twitter.com/pbbnJlBCYY
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026
After capturing former Venezuelan President, Trump had made it clear that Washington would “run” the country during a transition and needs “total access… to the oil and to other things in their country.”
On Wednesday, Trump had a “long call” with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said, “This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!” he added.
Rodriguez described the call as “long, productive and courteous” and said they discussed a bilateral agenda aimed at benefiting both countries.
(With agency inputs)
