Trump Vows U.S. Will 'Run' Venezuela and Rebuild Its Oil Empire

A Bold Claim on the Campaign Trail

Donald Trump, speaking to a packed arena in Miami, dropped a geopolitical bombshell: “We’ll run Venezuela, and we’ll fix their oil infrastructure fast.” The line drew thunderous applause from the crowd, many of whom fled the South American nation’s economic collapse.

From Rhetoric to Reality?

While the former president offered no legal pathway—no congressional vote, no UN resolution—his words ricocheted through Caracas, Washington, and oil-trading floors. Analysts warn that such swagger could spook global markets and hand propaganda victories to Nicolás Maduro.

“You can’t just ‘run’ a sovereign state with 28 million people and a standing army,” said Raul Gallegos, Andes director at Control Risks. “But you can spook bondholders and lift crude futures overnight.”

Oil at the Heart of the Pitch

Venezuela sits on the world’s largest proven reserves—over 300 billion barrels—yet production has cratered to 700,000 barrels per day, down from 3.2 million two decades ago. Trump’s promise: U.S. engineers and capital would restore output to pre-Chávez levels within two years, starving Maduro of cash and easing global prices.

• Rebuilding primary ports and pipelines could cost $50–70 billion, according to Wood Mackenzie.
• Washington would need to waive sanctions, a move requiring congressional approval.
• Chinese and Russian creditors hold liens on much of the infrastructure, complicating any seizure.

The Legal Minefield

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter bars the threat or use of force against territorial integrity. Even hawkish lawmakers like Senator Lindsey Graham concede that “running” another country would demand a new Authorization for Use of Military Force—unlikely in today’s polarized Congress.

Market Shockwaves

Within minutes of the clip hitting social media, Brent crude ticked up 1.8 %, while Venezuelan opposition bond prices leapt 7 %. Traders are pricing in a small but real chance of regime change, even if the mechanics remain murky.

“Markets love headline risk,” said Helima Croft, head of commodity strategy at RBC. “But they also hate occupation risk. This is both.”

What Caracas Heard

In the Miraflores presidential palace, officials dismissed the remark as “imperial delirium.” Yet state TV looped the footage, casting Trump as a foil to rally wavering military officers. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking by phone, warned that “foreign adventurism only strengthens Maduro’s siege narrative.”

The Human Cost

Seven million Venezuelans have already fled. Any escalation risks fresh waves at the U.S. southern border—an issue Trump has weaponized since 2015. Aid groups fear that sanctions-plus-intervention rhetoric could choke remittances, the lifeline keeping many families fed.

Bottom Line

Trump’s vow to “run” Venezuela is part campaign red meat, part geostrategic gambit. But without a credible roadmap, it may only deepen the misery of ordinary Venezuelans and add another flashpoint to an already volatile oil market.