US President Donald Trump has announced that Venezuela will transfer between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, following a dramatic US military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the installation of interim leadership in Caracas.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social late Monday, Trump said the oil would be sold at market price, with proceeds controlled by the US administration to ensure they are used “to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”

“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,” Trump wrote.

The announcement comes days after US forces captured Maduro in an early-morning operation on January 3 and transported him to New York, where he has been charged in federal court with drug-trafficking offenses. Maduro pleaded not guilty during his court appearance on January 5. His former vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has since been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president.

Trump has repeatedly linked the oil arrangement to what he describes as the recovery of American economic interests in Venezuela. In public remarks, he claimed that previous socialist governments in Caracas “stole” assets built with American expertise, a view disputed by some international energy law experts.

“We built Venezuela’s oil industry with American talent, drive, and skill,” Trump said. “And the socialist regime took it by force.”

Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but its production capacity has declined sharply over the past decade due to sanctions, underinvestment, and mismanagement. While several US companies once operated extensively in the country, Chevron remains the only major American oil firm still active there.

Trump told NBC News that Venezuelan oil production could be revived in less than 18 months, with US energy companies playing a central role. He suggested that American firms would initially invest in restoring infrastructure and later be reimbursed through oil revenues.

“A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent,” Trump said. “The oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.”

According to Trump, Venezuelan crude will be loaded onto storage ships and transported directly to US ports. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has been tasked with coordinating the effort and is scheduled to meet oil industry executives in Miami this week.

The plan has raised questions internationally about sovereignty, revenue control, and the long-term governance of Venezuela’s energy sector. While the US administration has framed the move as a stabilizing measure that will benefit Venezuelans, critics argue it risks deepening geopolitical tensions in Latin America.

The developments mark a major escalation in US-Venezuela relations and underscore Washington’s growing focus on energy security, strategic resources, and influence in the Western Hemisphere.