There’s been a lot of discussion surrounding the Trump administration’s intentions regarding Venezuela. Is it truly about drugs flooding into the U.S.? Or are they actually aiming for regime change to remove Nicolás Maduro?
Most likely, it’s the latter. And it’s also related to a valuable resource: oil.
Earlier in December, Pam Bondi announced the seizure of a crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Reportedly, this tanker was involved in transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela to Iran.
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. For multiple… pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) December 10, 2025
When a reporter asked Trump what would happen to the oil, he replied, in his typical fashion, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”
This might have been part of the plan all along. The administration’s actions on the high seas seem less about drug cartels and more about causing the Venezuelan government to collapse, installing a U.S.-friendly leader, like María Corina Machado, and securing access to the nation’s oil.
In a speech from 2023, Trump expressed disappointment that his first term didn’t manage to see a regime change in Venezuela.
“What if we were buying oil from Venezuela? When I left, Venezuela was on the brink of collapse. We could have taken it over. All that oil, right next door! Now we’re buying oil from them, making a dictator rich,” he said.
The Biden administration, on the other hand, didn’t actually buy oil but did loosen sanctions and permitted limited imports of Venezuelan crude through private entities like Chevron.
Looking back to 2019, Tulsi Gabbard, who is now the director of national intelligence, had a straightforward take on the regime change ambitions of the first Trump term.
Oil lobbyists have “unprecedented access” to Trump’s administration—meanwhile Pence/Bolton continue their crusade for regime change in Venezuela, the world’s richest oil reserves. The height of swamp politics. #PeopleBeforeProfits #ServiceBeforeSelf https://t.co/jlbip5u8tV
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) April 4, 2019
“Oil lobbyists have ‘unprecedented access’ to Trump’s administration. Meanwhile, Pence and Bolton push for regime change in Venezuela, which has the richest oil reserves in the world. It’s the height of swamp politics,” she tweeted.
Even María Corina Machado, who advocates for some extreme measures, seems aware of what’s really at stake.
“For the U.S., we will turn this criminal hub into a security shield in the heart of the Americas. We will welcome foreign investment, here’s a $1.7 trillion opportunity—not just in oil and gas, but also in mining, infrastructure, and energy. We will unlock markets, ensuring security for foreign investment, alongside a massive privatization initiative waiting for you,” she stated at the recent American Business Forum in Miami.
This isn’t about “freedom” or “democracy” or liberating Venezuelans from an “illegitimate leader.” It’s not about drugs either. It’s about profits, natural resources, and inexpensive energy. It’s about opening a new market for American businesses.
Follow the money, as the saying goes…
