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Trump shows off tanker with ‘1m barrels of oil’ and floats Venezuela as 51st state
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Donald Trump claimed at a Texas rally that Venezuela could become the 51st state of the US, highlighting a recent oil deal involving a tanker with “one million barrels of oil” from the country.
- The oil agreement was made with Venezuela’s interim government, supported by Trump’s administration after US forces deposed Nicolás Maduro nine months ago.
- Trump touted the deal as a major energy victory, promising it will lower US fuel prices and bolster American energy dominance across the Western Hemisphere.
- Critics question the deal’s legitimacy, noting the Trump administration has not pushed for democratic elections in Venezuela since Maduro’s removal and detention.
- The urgency for the oil deal is linked to rising gas prices caused by the Iran conflict, which disrupted global oil supplies by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
