Noteworthy News

[Thumpalumpacus]

Yes, that makes sense. 

Each regime change, each theft of natural resources, is a little different. Justifications and results vary.

Trump is maybe the first to not bother with any kind of political theater or justification. We want it, we're tough, we take it. 

I'm curious what will happen to the unfortunate Venezuelans who now live on top of Trump's oil. I hope their country doesn't collapse into chaos, as happened in other US interventions.

(Bold mine)

So do I. But people who know more about this than I do are saying that a Venezuelan civil war is a real possibility depending largely on who Trump anoints as a successor to Maduro.

Not to mention that Trump’s promise to station US troops on Venezuelan oil fields isn’t going to sit well with the citizens.

Boru

I'm just hoping my son's USMC unit, currently at Guantanamo, doesn't get stuck in on peace-keeping or nation-building, because it'll be a shitshow either way.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Early reports are that Trump intends to push Maduro's VP, Rodriguez.  I don't suspect that would go well with most Venezuelans and the opposition.

Rodriguez has allegedly done a runner - she says she’s in Russia, the Russians say she isn’t.

I’m mildly surprised that Trump isn’t supporting Machado. In a lot of ways, she’s the South American version of Margaret Thatcher and has called Trump ‘a visionary’.

Boru

[Deesse23]

Early reports are that Trump intends to push Maduro's VP, Rodriguez.  I don't suspect that would go well with most Venezuelans and the opposition.

Rodriguez has allegedly done a runner - she says she’s in Russia, the Russians say she isn’t.

I’m mildly surprised that Trump isn’t supporting Machado. In a lot of ways, she’s the South American version of Margaret Thatcher and has called Trump ‘a visionary’.

Boru

She got the Nobel Peace Prize 2025. He chances to get support from Trump are exactly zero.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Early reports are that Trump intends to push Maduro's VP, Rodriguez.  I don't suspect that would go well with most Venezuelans and the opposition.

Rodriguez has allegedly done a runner - she says she’s in Russia, the Russians say she isn’t.

I’m mildly surprised that Trump isn’t supporting Machado. In a lot of ways, she’s the South American version of Margaret Thatcher and has called Trump ‘a visionary’.

Boru

She beat him out for the Nobel Peace Prize. That's unforgivable in his eyes.

[Angrboda]

That's because Trump is an idiot. She won the prize for efforts taken before 2025, but it's probably the case that he thinks he was unfairly slighted for his efforts since resuming the presidency.

[The Grand Nudger]

The shillbillys giving up the game on social media. Apparently, we're swinging our dicks to prove that we're a "great power". What kind of broke dick america hater wonders whether or not we're great and needs a proof of greatness by way of kidnapping venezuelans?

Oh, right, the potus.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

The shillbillys giving up the game on social media.  Apparently, we're swinging our dicks to prove that we're a "great power".  What kind of broke dick america hater wonders whether or not we're great and needs a proof of greatness by way of kidnapping venezuelans?

Oh, right, the potus.

I could be wrong (I hope I am), but I don’t see this being a quick-and-easy for Trump. I can easily envision this becoming a proxy war with both China and Russia backing the old guard and the US trying to support the new regime.

Gee, a proxy war in a jungle. When was the last time THAT happened?

Boru

[Fake Messiah]

I'm curious what will happen to the unfortunate Venezuelans who now live on top of Trump's oil. I hope their country doesn't collapse into chaos, as happened in other US interventions.

Why did you wait until now to be concerned about the wellbeing of Venezuelans considering that Venezuelan economy was already collapsed under Maduro with one forth of population emigrating from the country? It certainly can't be worse now than it was.

[Angrboda]

US oil giants have so far remained silent on Donald Trump’s claim that they are primed to spend “billions and billions of dollars” rebuilding the Venezuelan oil industry following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro​.

Chevron, the only US oil company still operating in Venezuela, committed only to following “relevant laws and regulations” after the US president suggested American energy multinationals would be central to his plans for the country.

Venezuela’s vast oil reserves – reputedly the world’s largest – will be modernized and exploited, Trump claimed in interviews and a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate. US oil firms will invest heavily to reconstruct “rotted” infrastructure, ramp up production and sell “large amounts … to other countries”, he told reporters, adding: “We’re in the oil business.”

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies – the biggest anywhere in the world – go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country,” the president said. The firms would be “reimbursed”, he added, without providing more detail.

ExxonMobil, the biggest US oil company, did not respond to a request for comment. ConocoPhillips, another major player, said it was monitoring developments, and added: “It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments.”

A spokesperson for Chevron said: “Chevron remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets. We continue to operate in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.”

---

“My hunch is that, if President Trump said this publicly, probably there was already an agreement with the US companies,” Jorge León, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, an industry consultancy, said. Tina Fordham, a geopolitical strategist and consultant, said: “One assumes that they have been part of the conversation.”

US oil giants silent on Trump claim they will spend billions on Venezuelan oil industry

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

^Mr. Leon and Ms. Fordham seems to have forgotten that Trump is prone to making announcements that simply appear in his head, with or without consultation.

That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Big Oil were to jump on this opportunity with both feet.

Boru