Washington

Venezuela, Trump to Big Oil summits. 'We will decide who can work there'. Descalzi (Eni): ready to invest

The meeting is expected to be attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum

9 January 2026

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Trump: we will decide which oil companies can work in Venezuela
Descalzi: ready to invest in Venezuela

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Donald Trump is receiving representatives of more than a dozen oil companies, not only American, at the White House today to discuss the future of Venezuelan oil. According to a White House official quoted by The Hill, top executives from Chevron, which already operates in the country, as well as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which left Venezuela in 2007, will be present.

Other energy companies attending the meeting include Continental, Haliburton, HKN, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Vitol Americas, Repsol, Eni (present with CEO Claudio Descalzi), Aspect Holdings, Tallgrass, Raisa Energy and Hilcorp. The raw materials supply company Trafigura is also present. The meeting is attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

Trump: we will decide which oil companies will be allowed to work in Venezuela

Donald Trump told oil companies gathered at the White House that the 'United States will decide which companies can work in Venezuela'. The president specified that oil companies will have to deal with the US government, not Venezuela, to exploit the country's oil reserves. 'You will deal directly with us, you will have no dealings with Venezuela, we don't want you to have any dealings with Venezuela,' he said.

In Venezuela, 'before there was no security, but now you have total security', the president said at the White House, with top executives of major US and international oil companies. "Venezuela will have a great success," Trump said again. "We are taking back what was taken from us," the president added, referring to Venezuelan oil. Oil companies will invest "at least $100 billion" in Venezuela, Trump assured. The president explained that the oil companies need to have from the government 'the assurance that when they spend all this money, it will be there so that they can get their money back and make a nice profit.

Trump went on to say that Venezuela has 'heavy crude oil, very good, extraordinary oil. It's great for some things, like asphalt for the roads'.

"China and Russia can buy Venezuelan oil"

"China and Russia can buy oil" from the US, Trump said again. "We are ready to do business."

The US president also said: 'We are getting along extremely well with the people of Venezuela, with the people and the people who are governing it.

Trump fa pressione su Venezuela: via le spie di Cina, Russia, Iran

US seizes another oil tanker in the Caribbean, 'in coordination with the interim government'

The US meanwhile seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The Olina was previously called the Minerva M and had been sanctioned by the US for its role in transporting Russian oil. The new seizure risks further exacerbating tensions between Washington and Moscow just days after the boarding of the oil tanker Marinera in international waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Just today, accepting Moscow's urging, Trump had decided to release two Russian citizens who were part of the Marinera's crew. A move 'welcomed' by the Kremlin.

Trump himself said that 'the United States, in coordination with the interim government of Venezuela, seized an oil tanker that had departed the country without our authorisation'. "This tanker is now returning to Venezuela and the oil will be sold through the energy agreement that we have created specifically for this type of transaction," the president added.

US President: 'We have a giant Armada, but I don't think it will be necessary'

'We have an Armada, gigantic, like no one has ever seen in those parts of the world, positioned right in front of the coasts'. Donald Trump said this today while confirming, however, that he believes 'that a second wave of attacks against Venezuela will not be necessary'. "We get along so well with the people involved to represent Venezuela that I don't think there will be, I don't think a second wave will be necessary," he added.

Perché il blitz in Venezuela lascia i mercati indifferenti (per ora)

Sheinbaum-Lula Talk on Latin American Sovereignty

On the political front, there was a telephone conversation between Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the defence of the sovereignty of the two countries after the US military operation in Venezuela.

Descalzi: ready to invest in Venezuela

"We are ready to invest" in Venezuela. This was told to Donald Trump by Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi at the White House meeting on the future of Venezuelan oil. "Thank you for the great effort and efficiency of your action," Descalzi told Trump, reiterating, "We are here to invest with the United States." Eni, Descalzi added, is ready to 'join American companies' in developing the Venezuelan oil industry.

ExxonMobil CEO: impossible to invest in Venezuela without significant changes"

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods said on Friday that it is "impossible to invest" in Venezuela under the current circumstances. Therefore "significant changes" are needed in the country that Washington wants to put under protection. "Our assets have been seized twice in this country, so you can imagine that to go back a third time would require pretty significant changes," Woods stressed during a meeting at the White House with US President Donald Trump and big oil. 'If you look at the legal and business structures and frameworks currently in place in Venezuela, you will find that it is impossible to invest in this country today,' Woods emphasises, adding that nevertheless 'I am convinced' that the situation could evolve thanks to Washington's intervention.