Trump Claims US Operation in Venezuela Yielded 5-Fold Return

President says US gained 100 million barrels of oil in first week, more than covering costs of the attack.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:18am

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US President Donald Trump claimed that the recent US operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, proved financially beneficial for the United States. Trump stated that the US gained 100 million barrels of oil in the first week, more than covering the costs of the attack, and that the US is now taking "hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela" and keeping a large portion of it.

Why it matters

The US operation in Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Maduro have been controversial, with concerns raised about the legality and ethics of such actions. Trump's claims about the financial benefits of the operation add a new dimension to the debate, suggesting the US may have had economic motivations beyond just removing Maduro from power.

The details

According to Trump, the US attack on Venezuela resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were then flown to New York to face trial for alleged involvement in "narco-terrorism" and posing a threat to the US. Trump stated that in the first week alone, the US gained 100 million barrels of oil, more than covering the costs of the attack, and that the US is now taking "hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela" and keeping a large portion of it.

  • In early January, the United States launched an attack on Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
  • On Thursday, the second court hearing took place in New York.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who made the claims about the financial benefits of the US operation in Venezuela.

Nicolas Maduro

The President of Venezuela who was captured by the US and is currently facing trial in New York.

Cilia Flores

The wife of Nicolas Maduro who was also captured by the US and is facing trial in New York.

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What they’re saying

“We had 100 million barrels of oil in the first week. We more than paid for the entire attack. In fact, we made probably four or five times more than the cost of that attack.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States

The takeaway

The US operation in Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Maduro have raised concerns about the legality and ethics of such actions, and Trump's claims about the financial benefits of the operation add a new dimension to the debate, suggesting the US may have had economic motivations beyond just removing Maduro from power.