Trump Claims $13 Billion Seized from Venezuelan Oil Sales

President Donald Trump announced on July 27, 2026, that the United States has collected more than $13 billion from the sale of Venezuelan crude oil. The seizure follows a military operation on January 3 that removed former President Nicolás Maduro from power. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that these revenues have recovered the costs of the military operation many times over and are being used to run the country.

Administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, maintain that the funds are held in a custodial Treasury account. Rubio testified that every expenditure and disbursement is being audited by the accounting firm KPMG to ensure transparency. Government reports indicate approximately $3 billion has already been disbursed to cover Venezuelan government salaries and oil industry supplies.

Trump also used the announcement to threaten similar seizures against Iran to pay for damages to American assets. Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats have demanded greater transparency regarding the spending, with critics arguing there is little evidence that the funds are effectively reaching the Venezuelan economy.