"They have abundant oil reserves": Trump leaves open possibility of Venezuela becoming the 51st U.S. state
Trump has floated the idea that Venezuela could become the 51st U.S. state, referencing improving relations between Washington and Caracas, investments by energy firms, and the potential for crude supply to flow into the United States.
"We might as well make it the 51st state. Then they wouldn’t elect a president anymore—just a governor. What do you think? They’ve got a lot of oil."
With midterm elections approaching and Trump’s approval ratings under pressure, the notion of a “51st state” is less about constitutional feasibility and more about energy access and electoral strategy.
In practice, this scenario is virtually unfeasible. Venezuela has explicitly rejected such proposals. Deputy President Rodríguez has repeatedly stated that sovereignty is non-negotiable. Under U.S. constitutional procedures, adding a new state requires passage by both chambers of Congress and consent from the prospective political entity. Moreover, international law does not permit the annexation of sovereign states, and such a move would likely provoke strong regional backlash across Latin America.
Trump has previously made similar remarks regarding Greenland and Canada. The common thread in these statements is the use of hyperbolic territorial rhetoric to obscure underlying objectives: control over natural resources and dominance over the Western Hemisphere.
In August 2026, the United States announced a petroleum agreement with Venezuela covering 17 strategic oil fields, containing an estimated 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. Under the arrangement, U.S. entities secured significant rights through joint ventures and equity structures. Disputes over specific terms persist, while Venezuelan officials have emphasized their retention of resource sovereignty.
Thus, the United States may not need formal territorial annexation. By securing operational control over oilfields, access to export routes, and influence over revenue distribution, it can achieve energy benefits akin to those of a vassal state.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1880263191078092/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.