President Donald Trump has confirmed that he spoke with major US oil companies before and after the United States launched its military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move that was not disclosed to Congress ahead of time.
Trump said oil firms ‘want to go in and they’re going to do a great job’ in rebuilding Venezuela‘s energy infrastructure. For critics, it means that corporate interests played a huge role in planning the mission.
However, the decision to keep lawmakers in the dark has raised eyebrows, with some arguing it undermines constitutional oversight and prioritises the oil industry over the democratic process.
Analysts argue that this operation represents ‘the most consequential moment in recent Venezuelan history’ and a dramatic escalation of presidential authority, with Trump attempting to reshape the hemisphere under a revised ‘America First’ foreign policy that explicitly links military action to energy access.
Why Congress Wasn’t Notified Before the Operation
The Trump administration’s handling of the Venezuela operation broke with longstanding precedent by failing to inform Congress before the mission launched.
Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, presidents are generally expected to notify lawmakers within 48 hours of committing US forces to hostilities, but not always before an action begins.
Republican Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the lack of advance notice, saying the mission was ‘trigger-based’ and that notifying legislators beforehand might have compromised operational security and led to leaks that could endanger troops.
Rubio stressed that members were briefed immediately upon the start of the raid.
Critics say this reasoning doesn’t justify bypassing Congress entirely. Democratic lawmakers argued that a unilateral strike without prior approval weakens constitutional checks and balances. Lawmakers are clamouring that they ‘did not authorise this’ and are defending service members who were sent into harm’s way for another ‘unnecessary conflict’.
Why Oil Companies Need to Know First
In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump acknowledged that he had spoken with US oil companies before and after the operation, without specifying details.
He added that firms were eager to help rebuild Venezuela’s oil sector once stability was restored, noting that their involvement would be beneficial to both Venezuelans and US strategic interests.
This means Venezuela’s oil resources have tied the military move directly to energy policy. He said the US would have its ‘very large United States oil companies… go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure… and start making money for the country’, saying that it will drive the US economy forward.
Some analysts see this as a continuation of Washington’s longstanding interest in Venezuelan crude, a resource rich in reserves but historically nationalised under Caracas.
Others argue that control of energy infrastructure has geopolitical implications, especially with escalating competition with Russia, China, and Iran for influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Trump Blasted for Notifying Oil Companies First
Many users mocked the idea of oil firms being told first, with one quipping, ‘Trump answers to rich friends, not people elected by America’.
Some comments referenced alleged campaign funding that has to be repaid through reserves, ‘They paid Trump $445 million for his election campaign!!’, suggesting that oil industry backing influenced the timing and nature of the operation as the midterm elections near.
The majority of the reactions focused on the constitutional and legal implications of bypassing Congress. One commenter said, ‘This man tipped off oil companies in advance about the actual time of attack!! Does that kind of reckless conduct befit a president?’
Meanwhile, there were also responses defending the need for secrecy and operational integrity, saying oil companies can likely keep secrets better than Congress.
US oil companies are expected to massively take part in rebuilding and operating Venezuela’s oil sector following the capture of Maduro. This means investing billions to repair damaged oil assets that have deteriorated under years of sanctions and mismanagement.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
