The largest oil deal in history is now signed, sealed, and delivering results for American families, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday before world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
Standing before the international body in New York, Trump made no apologies for the U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro from power earlier this year. Instead, he pointed to the fruits of that decisive action: 65 billion barrels of oil that will benefit both nations and drive down energy costs worldwide.
“To the victor belong the spoils,” Trump declared to the assembly. “You all heard that.”
The president detailed Operation Absolute Resolve, which penetrated deep into the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on January 3, 2026, culminating in Maduro’s arrest. The former strongman now awaits trial in federal detention.
Since that day, Trump reported, hundreds of political prisoners have walked free from Maduro’s dungeons.
“We’re working closely with the leaders of Venezuela to forge a much better future for the Venezuelan people,” he said.
Multiple companies have already begun operations in the South American nation following the landmark energy agreement signed last month. Trump noted that the United States and Venezuela combined now control around 60 percent of available oil in the world.
The president used the global stage to send an unmistakable message about American resolve in the Western Hemisphere.
“Our actions in Venezuela are proof the United States will no longer permit threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western hemisphere and if necessary, we will use our unmatched military might to secure the vital national interests of the United States,” Trump stated.
He took aim at Venezuela’s military capabilities, which had been supplied by foreign adversaries. Despite having what Trump called the “finest” equipment from other countries, he said it “didn’t work” against American forces. “Didn’t even come close.”
Trump connected the Venezuela operation to his broader crackdown on transnational criminal organizations that have plagued American communities. He blamed previous administrations for allowing gangs and drug cartels to flood into the United States through uncontrolled migration, declaring the nation had been “infiltrated by hostile foreign adversaries.”
“Not anymore,” he said. “We are reasserting American power where necessary in our region and around the world to create a safer future.”
The president highlighted his designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move he backed up with military force. Calling them “the ISIS of the Western hemisphere,” Trump outlined the consequences awaiting cartel members: they would be killed, exiled, or detained as enemy combatants.
