Trump Announces U.S. Takeover of Venezuelan Oil Assets, Sparks Market Speculation
President Donald TRUMP declared a seismic shift in global energy markets Saturday, announcing U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and would seize control of the country's oil infrastructure. The move targets what Trump called "the largest hydrocarbon theft in history"—claiming Venezuela expropriated $17 trillion worth of U.S.-built oil assets.
American oil companies will immediately begin rebuilding Venezuela's crippled production capacity, with Trump confirming the U.S. will temporarily administer the country's 300 billion barrels of proven crude reserves. The existing oil embargo remains enforced, creating immediate supply chain uncertainties.
Gold markets face parallel disruption, with 161 metric tons of Venezuelan reserves now under U.S. control. This geopolitical earthquake arrives as cryptocurrency markets show renewed sensitivity to macroeconomic shocks, particularly in commodity-backed assets.