Trump Signals Long-Term US Involvement in Venezuela

Fri Jan 09 2026 16:24:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

US President Donald Trump suggests that the US's role in overseeing Venezuela's government could last for years following the recent military actions leading to Nicolás Maduro's ousting.

In a recent interview, President Trump indicated that US involvement in Venezuela might extend for years after the country's leadership crisis. Speaking to the New York Times, he acknowledged that the US would control sales of Venezuelan oil and emphasized a focus on rebuilding the nation economically. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado claims that the ousting of Maduro signifies an 'irreversible process' towards freedom, despite ongoing controversies surrounding the interim government's legitimacy and the future of Venezuelan democracy.

US President Donald Trump has stated that his government's involvement in Venezuela could last several years, primarily focusing on overseeing the nation post-Maduro's ousting. In an interview with the New York Times, he explained that 'only time will tell' regarding the duration of US governance over the South American country following the military raid that led to Nicolás Maduro's removal.

While Trump did not specify when elections might be scheduled to install a new government in Venezuela, opposition leader María Corina Machado remarked that Maduro's departure initiated an 'irreversible process' leading toward the nation’s freedom.

As discussions on Venezuela's future continue, Trump emphasized the importance of US control over Venezuelan oil sales to maintain leverage over the newly established regime, arguing it was critical for the country’s economic recovery.

Although critics have raised concerns about the interim government’s legitimacy, Machado insisted on the need for political reforms and highlighted the urgency of releasing over 800 political prisoners currently detained in Venezuela.