Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again sparked global attention after openly discussing America’s long-term role in Venezuela. In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, Trump suggested that the United States could end up overseeing Venezuela for years, with oil firmly at the center of the strategy.
Speaking in a conversational but firm tone, Trump said there is no clear timeline for how long Washington plans to maintain direct oversight of the South American country. “Only time will tell,” he said, hinting that this would not be a short-term mission.
According to Trump, the current interim government in Venezuela, made up of figures once loyal to Nicolás Maduro, has been highly cooperative. He claimed they are giving the U.S. everything it needs, especially access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Trump framed the plan as a win-win move. The United States, he said, would help rebuild Venezuela in a profitable way while also benefiting from its oil. By tapping into Venezuelan crude, Trump argued, the U.S. could help push global oil prices down and at the same time send much-needed financial support back to Venezuela’s struggling economy.
These comments came just hours after U.S. officials revealed plans for America to effectively take control of selling Venezuelan oil for an indefinite period. The move is part of a three-phase strategy outlined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Congress. While many Republicans have backed the approach, Democrats continue to warn that the U.S. may be heading toward a prolonged international intervention without clear legal authority.
When pressed on how long the U.S. would stay in charge — months, a year, or longer — Trump’s answer was blunt. “Much longer,” he said.
Throughout the nearly two-hour interview, Trump touched on a wide range of issues, from immigration and NATO to the Russia-Ukraine war and even White House renovations. Still, Venezuela remained a major focus, even as he avoided giving specific answers about the country’s political future.
Trump declined to explain why the U.S. recognized Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s new leader instead of backing opposition figure María Corina Machado, whose movement defeated Maduro’s camp in the 2024 election and later earned a Nobel Peace Prize. He also would not say whether he had personally spoken with Rodríguez, though he noted that Rubio is in constant contact with her.
On the issue of elections, Trump offered no promises. Despite Venezuela’s long democratic history before Hugo Chávez took power in 1999, he avoided committing to any election timeline under the current arrangement.
The interview briefly paused when Trump took a phone call from Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The call appeared to ease tensions following Trump’s recent threats against Colombia over its role in global cocaine trafficking. Afterward, Trump posted on social media saying Petro had explained the drug situation and accepted an invitation to visit Washington.
Trump also spoke at length about the operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, clearly taking pride in its execution. He said he closely followed the training and planning, down to the creation of a full-scale replica of the target compound used by U.S. forces.
He admitted he feared the mission could have turned into a historic failure, referencing the 1980 Iran hostage rescue attempt under President Jimmy Carter. In contrast, Trump described the Maduro operation as a major success, especially when compared to what he called past military disasters under previous administrations.
On the economic front, Trump claimed the U.S. has already begun benefiting by taking oil previously locked under sanctions. He pointed to plans to secure between 30 and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude. Still, he acknowledged that restoring Venezuela’s neglected oil industry would take years.
When asked whether U.S. troops could be sent in if Venezuela blocked oil access or refused to remove Russian and Chinese personnel, Trump refused to give details. He simply said relations with the current Venezuelan leadership were respectful and cooperative.
Trump also brushed aside questions about why Edmundo González, the declared winner of the 2024 election and a close ally of Machado, was not installed as president. He repeated that Maduro’s former allies are now working with Washington, despite their tough public statements.
“They’re giving us everything we need,” Trump said, adding that Venezuela had taken oil assets from American companies years ago through nationalization.
Although Trump has been in talks with U.S. oil executives about investing in Venezuela, many remain cautious. Their concerns include political uncertainty after Trump leaves office and resistance from Venezuela’s military and intelligence agencies, which could feel sidelined financially.
Even so, Trump sounded optimistic. He said he would like to visit Venezuela one day, suggesting that conditions could eventually stabilize.
“I think at some point, it’ll be safe,” he said.
For now, Trump’s comments make one thing clear: Venezuela is shaping up to be a long-term geopolitical and economic focus for the United States, not just a temporary intervention.