Last Friday afternoon, while President Trump was busy signing orders and discussing Iran with his Cabinet, something interesting happened outside the Oval Office.
According to sources, a group of men in dark suits were seen pushing a cart filled with what looked like large gold bars through the White House hallways.
And not just any tiny gold pieces like you’d find in a store. We’re talking about hefty bars, each about a foot long, reminiscent of something you’d see in a spy movie. You’d definitely need both hands to lift one of those!
When questioned about this unusual scene, officials mentioned that these men, presumably federal agents, claimed they were there to present part of a gold stash valued in the tens of millions. This haul was taken from former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was arrested earlier this year on various charges.
So, is this story for real? After looking into it, sources confirmed that, yes, the gold was indeed from Venezuela and meant for the president. However, the claim about Maduro’s hidden stash turned out to be not quite accurate.
What really happened, it seems, is that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum just signed licensing agreements, one being with Venezuela’s state gold mining company, Minerven. This deal allows them to sell physical gold to Trafigura Group, which trades gold in the U.S., aligning with White House efforts to integrate Venezuela back into the global market.
These large bars were essentially trophies celebrating the improving economic relationship between the two nations—once rivals, now finding paths toward cooperation following Trump’s actions and Maduro’s imprisonment.
Trump’s team was hesitant to confirm whether or not the gold was showcased to the president but didn’t outright deny that it had been received.
In a statement, the White House noted, “This historic gold transaction between Trafi and Venezuela was facilitated at the direction of President Trump.” They mentioned that the deal came about during Burgum’s visit to Venezuela in coordination with the President’s National Energy Control Council, aimed at revitalizing Venezuela’s mining sector to benefit American industries.
Burgum expanded on this during a Fox News interview, saying, “On Friday, $100 million in gold was shipped from Venezuela to the U.S. Venezuela has $500 billion in gold resources.” He also noted a growing optimism in Venezuela about future economic prospects.
But let’s not forget—while Venezuela is often associated with its vast oil reserves, it’s also rich in minerals. The country was once economically thriving until its recent downturn under Maduro and Chávez, who drove away foreign investments, leading to a significant economic collapse.
By detaining Maduro, the Trump administration is trying to further American business interests through a new government, aiming to alleviate the suffering caused by the previous regime.
Just last week, Burgum met with prominent Venezuelan energy and mining executives to discuss agreements between Minerven and Trafi, believed to be linked to the recent gold bullion.
“The executives were enthusiastic about returning to Venezuela and seizing new opportunities,” he shared in another interview. “The people in Venezuela plan to honor President Trump with a statue as he works to rejuvenate their economy for the first time in over two decades.”
