Trump Predicts Long-Term U.S. Involvement in Venezuela Following Maduro's Ouster

Fri Jan 09 2026 14:37:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

U.S. President Donald Trump suggests that American oversight in Venezuela could extend for years after the recent military operation that ousted Nicolás Maduro. He emphasizes the need for control over Venezuelan oil amid plans for the nation's future governance.

In a recent interview, President Trump indicated that the U.S. may maintain its presence in Venezuela for years, following the military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power. He remarked on the importance of controlling Venezuelan oil sales to leverage the situation, while also hinting at the complexity of determining the interim governance of the country.

U.S. 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 U.S. 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.

Days after the operation, Trump faced questions from NYT reporters about the future of Venezuela, after having mentioned that the U.S. would control sales of sanctioned oil indefinitely.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright argued that controlling Venezuela's oil sales is necessary for leverage over the interim government in Caracas. Trump announced that the U.S. would be taking oil from Venezuela but admitted that reviving the country's oil industry would take time.

Venezuela's oil production has plummeted due to poor management by the Maduro government and years of U.S. sanctions.

Trump mentioned that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in constant communication with Rodríguez, a key figure in the interim leadership recognized by the U.S. government.

Amid these developments, Machado emphasized the need for the release of political prisoners and insisted that her ally, Edmundo González, was the legitimate president-elect after a disputed election.

Discussions around the control of Venezuelan oil and the future political landscape continue, as the U.S. prepares to meet with major oil corporations to establish further plans.