President Donald Trump has added Venezuela to his wish list of American territory, and this time he says he’s seriously thinking about making the Latin American country the 51st state in the Union.
Trump confirmed in a phone call with Fox News that he is “seriously considering” a plan to make oil-rich Venezuela a permanent part of the United States, driven by the country’s estimated $40 trillion in oil reserves.
“Venezuela loves Trump,” the president said simply.
It isn’t the first time Trump has floated the idea. In March, after Venezuela’s soccer team defeated the United States in the World Baseball Classic, Trump posted on Truth Social: “Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?”
The idea is gaining traction inside the White House. Trump administration officials have been holding meetings with top executives from major oil companies, including Exxon and ConocoPhillips, both of which were expelled from Venezuela nearly 20 years ago when former President Hugo Chavez nationalized the oil industry.
The White House is urging them to invest in Venezuela’s vast oil fields. Chevron currently remains the only U.S. major oil company still operating in the country.
The groundwork was laid in January when U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, who had been indicted by the Justice Department on narco-terrorism charges. Trump declared the U.S. would “run” Venezuela during its transitional period and pledged to have the American oil industry “up and running” there again. Under U.S. management, Venezuelan oil exports surged to more than 1 million barrels per day in April, the highest level since 2018.
The White House made no attempt to downplay the ambition behind the operation.
“As the President has said, relations between Venezuela and the United States have been extraordinary. Oil is starting to flow, and large amounts of money, unseen for many years, will soon be helping the great people of Venezuela,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News. “Only President Trump can be credited for the revitalization of this newfound partnership — and the best is yet to come!”
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who has been working alongside the Trump administration during the transitional period, pushed back hard against the statehood suggestion.
“That would never have been considered, because if there is one thing we Venezuelan men and women have, it is that we love our independence process, we love our heroes and heroines of independence,” Rodriguez said Monday.
The constitutional hurdles are steep. Annexing Venezuela and admitting it as a state would require congressional approval and consent from Venezuela itself, a country of 28 million people. No details have been provided by the White House on what a realistic path to statehood would look like.
Venezuela is just the latest target on Trump’s expansionist list. He has separately floated taking control of Greenland, Canada, Cuba, and the Panama Canal.