Trump Meets Venezuelan Interim President, Re‑igniting Oil Deal Talks

Former US President Donald Trump joined Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez in a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Their discussion appeared to refresh the 2024 agreement that allows a US‑led company a 100‑year concession to exploit more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil—roughly one‑fifth of the country’s reserves.

The talks also covered strategic areas such as mining and security, underscoring the growing economic and geopolitical partnership between the United States and Venezuela following the US‑backed raid that arrested Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.

Both Trump and Rodríguez were accompanied by key US officials—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles—highlighting the high‑level nature of the meeting. The event underscores the US’s ongoing ambition to wield influence over Venezuelan energy resources while navigating a complex political landscape marked by sanctions, opposition boycotts, and a pending trial for Maduro.

The oil concession deal, once touted by Trump as “the biggest oil deal in world history,” continues to draw scrutiny against a backdrop of shifting global energy dynamics and sustainability concerns, prompting questions about how such partnerships align with climate and renewable‑energy goals.