U.S. President **Donald Trump has announced that Venezuela will use the money it earns from a new oil arrangement with the United States to purchase only American-made products, marking a major shift in Caracas’s trade orientation.
Trump made the remarks on Wednesday, January 7, in a post on his social media platform, stating that Venezuelan authorities have agreed to spend the proceeds from oil sales exclusively on goods produced in the United States.
“Venezuela is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products with the money they receive from our new Oil Deal,” Trump wrote, adding that the purchases will include agricultural products, medicines, medical devices and equipment to improve Venezuela’s electric grid and energy facilities.
The U.S. government has seized control of Venezuelan oil sales following military and diplomatic actions that led to the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro, with Washington saying it will market Venezuelan crude and manage the resulting revenue. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States plans to control Venezuela’s oil sales “indefinitely,” selling crude on global markets and depositing proceeds into accounts controlled by the U.S. government.
Trump also previously stated that Venezuela would transfer 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, to be sold at market prices, with the revenue intended to benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.
The president’s announcement frames the deal as a strategic partnership that would boost demand for U.S. products while helping to rebuild Venezuela’s struggling infrastructure. However, details on how the arrangement will be implemented and whether Caracas has formally agreed to the conditions remain unclear.