Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies for rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Jan. 5, 2026, 6:10 PM EST


President Donald Trump said he believes the U.S. oil industry could get expanded operations in Venezuela "up and running" in fewer than 18 months.

"I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump told NBC News in an interview Monday. "A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," he said.

Whether the U.S. government ultimately agrees to reimburse the oil industry's costs in Venezuela, or alternatively, decides that future revenue is sufficient repayment, will likely be a key factor for the oil companies as they consider their options.

Trump declined to say how much money he believes it would cost companies to repair and upgrade Venezuela's aging oil infrastructure.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/energy/trump-venezuela-oil-companies-reimburse-rcna252434

---

They are already "subsidized".

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. No money for Health Insurance, but plenty to rebuild OIL infrastructure in Venezuela?

Talk about FUCKED UP BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION!

[bluestarone]

7. I'm betting THIS was 1st thought of every body

on this site!!

[ashredux]

2. Goodness, they don't even try to hide the graft anymore.... He just says we're going to steal money from all of you.

[Ray Bruns]

3. "Donald Trump said he believes the U.S. oil industry could get expanded operations in Venezuela 'up and running

1. How the fuck would he know anything about getting an oil industry “up and running”?

2. Just more socialism for the oil industry.

[orangecrush]

4. Of course.

The grift goes on.

[louis-t]

5. He knows nothing about the oil industry. His "18 month" projection is just

another idiotic statement, wild guess, wishful thinking. How's that 'health plan' coming along? 2 weeks, you say?

[Aristus]

6. That is the weirdest definition of "America First!" I think I have ever heard.

The brain-dead Trumpsters will no doubt have a way of rationalizing this. Never, ever question Dear Leader, you know...

[Miguelito Loveless]

8. Well, THAT will get

the oil companies aboard the Gravy Train.

[Brother Buzz]

9. Socialize the Costs and Privatize the Profits

[snot]

10. But but but I thought everything would be paid for out of all the oil!?!?

Where have I heard that before?

Even if you're ok with our stealing their oil*, economic reason would dictate that at most, we LEND the $ to the oil cos. and get paid back out the eventual profits.

*(I assume our oil cos. used to have contractual rights to that oil, but what do you suppose the odds were that those contracts were fair to the Venezuelans {other than a few at the top who probably got a cut}?)

[ProudMNDemocrat]

11. Just like Mexico was going to pay for The Wall.

We found out that was a LIE!

[snot]

12. Exactly, &

Iraqi oil was going to pay for our invasion of Iraq. (It probably did, except the "payment" all went to Blackrock, Halliburton, et al.)