Trump Signals Long-term US Commitment in Venezuela After Maduro's Ouster

Fri Jan 09 2026 17:09:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a recent interview, President Trump indicated that the US's role in Venezuela could extend for years following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, echoing a desire for control over the nation's oil resources amidst ongoing political turmoil.

President Trump has remarked that the United States could be involved in Venezuela for a protracted period following the ousting of Nicolás Maduro. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump conveyed that the US would oversee Venezuela and stressed the importance of controlling oil sales from the country. Opposition leader María Corina Machado declared that the removal of Maduro has initiated an irreversible path toward Venezuelan freedom, while uncertainty looms over the future of the interim government.

US President Donald Trump has said that his country's involvement in Venezuela could last for years.

He told the New York Times that only time will tell how long his administration would oversee the running of the South American nation following the seizure by US forces of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a raid on Saturday.

Trump also did not say if or when elections would be held in Venezuela to replace the interim government headed by Maduro loyalist Delcy Rodríguez.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said the ouster of Maduro had set off an irreversible process that would lead Venezuela to be free.

New York Times (NYT) journalists quizzed Trump on his plans for the future of Venezuela days after he had said his administration would run the oil-rich nation.

Earlier on Wednesday, the White House had said that the US would control sales of sanctioned oil indefinitely.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright argued that the US needed control over Venezuela's oil sales for leverage over the interim government in Caracas.

Trump said his administration would be taking oil from Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven reserves, but acknowledged it would take a while to get the country's oil industry up and running.

Venezuela's oil production has plummeted due to mismanagement by the Maduro government and years of US sanctions.

Trump told the NYT that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in constant communication with Rodríguez, the interim leader designated by the country's Supreme Court, controlled by Maduro loyalists.

He added that Rodríguez is giving us everything that we feel is necessary.

According to the NYT reporters, Trump did not answer their questions about why he recognized Rodríguez as Venezuela's new leader.

Many analysts expected that Maduro's ouster would lead to a swift return of opposition leaders Edmundo González and María Corina Machado, but Trump dismissed Machado as lacking respect and support to lead.

Machado has been a uniting figure for opposition groups ahead of the 2024 presidential election but was barred from running by Maduro's officials.

The electoral council, also dominated by government loyalists, declared Maduro re-elected, although opposition-verified voting tallies suggest González won by a landslide.

González fled the government repression following the election, while Machado went into hiding in Venezuela, later traveling to Oslo to collect her Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights.

She expressed hope for a swift transition and insisted that González was the legitimate president-elect, demanding the release of political prisoners.

Trump appeared focused more on the rescue mission than on navigational details for Venezuela's future, stating: We will rebuild it in a very profitable way. He indicated plans to use and control Venezuela's oil to bring down prices and provide financial aid.

Upcoming discussions with major US oil companies are expected to clarify these plans further.