US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to prevent American courts and private creditors from seizing Venezuelan government funds held in the United States, citing national security and foreign policy concerns tied to oil revenues and regional stability.

The move, formalised through an executive order signed on Friday and released on Saturday, is aimed at protecting Venezuelan oil-related funds from judicial attachment or enforcement actions. Trump said such legal actions would “materially harm the national security and foreign policy of the United States” by undermining Washington’s broader strategy in the Western Hemisphere.

According to the executive order, the funds in question are critical to US efforts to promote economic and political stability in Venezuela. The White House warned that allowing courts or creditors to seize the assets could jeopardise key American objectives, including curbing illegal immigration, reducing narcotics trafficking, countering the influence of hostile actors such as Iran and Hezbollah, and fostering long-term peace and prosperity in Venezuela and the wider region.

The order blocks any attachment, judgment, lien, garnishment, or other judicial process against what it defines as “Foreign Government Deposit Funds,” unless explicitly authorised by the US administration. Any unauthorised legal action against the funds is declared “null and void.”

The protected assets include money paid to or held by the US government in designated Treasury accounts on behalf of the Venezuelan government or its agencies. These entities include the Central Bank of Venezuela and the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). The funds are derived primarily from the sale of natural resources and diluents linked to Venezuela’s oil industry.

Trump said that subjecting these funds to judicial seizure would constitute an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, prompting him to invoke emergency powers under US law. The declaration formally establishes a national emergency to address that threat.

The executive order makes clear that the funds are considered sovereign property of the Venezuelan state and are not assets belonging to private entities or judgment creditors. It also specifies that the US government holds the funds strictly in a custodial and governmental capacity, rather than as a commercial or market participant.

Under the order, the funds cannot be transferred, withdrawn, exported, or otherwise used unless permitted through future regulations or licenses issued by the administration. It further states that the assets have not been used for commercial activity in the United States and will remain restricted.

The funds will be held pending “sovereign disposition” for public, governmental, or diplomatic purposes. Decisions regarding their eventual use will be determined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting on behalf of the Venezuelan government.

Trump directed the Treasury Department to ensure the funds are clearly designated as Venezuelan sovereign property held in US custody. The department is also instructed to carry out transfers or disbursements only in accordance with instructions from the Secretary of State, in consultation with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Additionally, the executive order authorises the Treasury and Justice Departments to assert sovereign immunity on behalf of the funds in any legal or administrative proceedings. It explicitly states that holding the assets in US Treasury accounts does not waive Venezuela’s sovereign immunity or grant US courts jurisdiction to enforce private claims.

Trump argued that any court action against the funds would interfere with US foreign relations and undermine international legal norms, reinforcing the administration’s stance that control over Venezuelan oil revenues is central to its broader regional strategy.