Trump Administration Awards Venezuelan Oil Licenses to Vitol and Trafigura

The Trump administration awarded lucrative licenses to commodities traders Vitol and Trafigura to sell Venezuelan crude oil after a U.S. military invasion in January ousted President Nicolas Maduro. The administration defended the decision to bypass traditional competitive bidding as a necessary step for economic stabilization.

Reports indicate that John Addison, a senior Vitol trader and political donor, secured the deal after Vice President J.D. Vance described him as trustworthy to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. While Addison and Vance's office deny a reported December 27 meeting in Montana to discuss the hypothetical sale of oil, the Department of Energy confirmed that Wright called Addison on January 5 to offer the contract.

Democratic lawmakers, led by Representative Robert Garcia, have raised concerns regarding favoritism and whether the firms received advance notice of the military operation. Vitol and Trafigura have denied receiving prior warning of the invasion.