President Donald Trump prepares to depart for the Army-Navy football game in Baltimore at the White House in Washington, Dec. 13, 2025.
Aaron Schwartz | Reuters
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said Wednesday that President Donald Trump reserves the right to use military force to secure Venezuela’s oil interests.
“The president, of course, reserves the right to deploy U.S. troops as necessary,” Levitt said at a press conference.
President Trump has called on U.S. oil giants to invest billions of dollars in rebuilding Venezuela’s energy sector. Asked if the president would send in the military to protect American oil workers, Levitt said Trump would do what is in the best interest of the American people and the energy industry.
“That’s not what he wants to do. Diplomacy is always the first option,” Levitt said. He said the United States currently has no troops in Venezuela.
President Trump is scheduled to meet with oil executives at the White House on Friday, a source told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan. CEO of exxon mobil and conocophilips Representatives of chevron is planning to attend the meeting.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright will speak to oil company executives Wednesday at Goldman Sachs’ annual energy conference in Miami, a Department of Energy spokesperson told CNBC.
Chevron is the only U.S. oil major operating in Venezuela under a special license issued by the United States.
The United States ousted President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid last weekend that took him to New York, where he faces federal drug-trafficking conspiracy charges.
The Trump administration has increased its military capabilities in the Caribbean, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford and its carrier strike group. The president told NBC News on Monday that the United States is not at war with Venezuela.
Energy analysts say U.S. oil companies will need certainty about the country’s security situation and government stability before investing in the country.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Venezuela has the world’s largest proven reserves of crude oil. The South American country was recently producing about 800,000 barrels per day, according to data from energy consulting firm Kpler.
President Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela will send 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude oil to the United States, where it will be sold at market prices. The Energy Secretary announced Wednesday that the United States will take control of Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely.
“We’re going to put the oil coming out of Venezuela on the market, initially by backing up our oil reserves and then indefinitely after that, we’re going to sell the oil coming out of Venezuela into the market,” Wright said at the Goldman Sachs Energy Conference.
“We need that influence and control of oil sales to drive the changes that absolutely must happen in Venezuela,” the Energy Secretary said.
