Trump 'inclined' to keep Exxon out of Venezuela after CEO calls it 'uninvestable'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Jan. 11, 2026, 9:25 p.m. ET


President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he might block Exxon Mobil from investing in Venezuela after the company's CEO called the country "uninvestable" during a White House meeting last week.

Exxon CEO Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela would need to change its laws before it could be an attractive investment opportunity, during a White House meeting on Jan. 9 with other oil executives.

His comments were a blow to Trump's goal of convincing U.S. oil firms to spend billions of dollars to revitalize Venezuela's oil industry after capturing the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife on Jan. 3 and bringing them to New York to face trial on charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking.

"I didn't like Exxon's response," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington on Jan. 11. "I'll probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn't like their response. They're playing too cute."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/11/venezuela-oil-trump-exxon-mobil/88135896007/

[Raven123]

1. Until he goes after Exxon's short term profits, they won't care

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Exxon Mobil's making a sensible call

They saw that there were too many negatives for taking over old infrastructure or drilling and building new. Venezuela’s laws are also a big muddle and are likely to remain that way for some time: why should Exxon Mobil go in someplace, drop hundreds of millions (or more) on Venezuelan properties only to have it nationalized when Orange Julius is gone?

Orange Julius’ Venezuelan operation looks like it was thought up by some idiot(s) who don’t know anything about the oil business.

[Escurumbele]

17. In my opinion, they see trump lining up with the regime responsible for destroying Venezuela.

They see that the regime who sucks all the money from Venezuela's natural resources is not going anywhere, trump just wants to become an associate of the regime and get his commission, Exxon and the other oil companies see that.

trump and Rubio have already thrown the duly elected people during the last election, Edmundo Gonzalez, and Nobel Prize winner Maria Conchita Machado under the bus. trump wants to place one of the regime gang members, Delcy Rodriguez (part of a gang family) as president because he knows he can get them to do anything corrupt that will benefit him personally, but he knows that Machado and Gonzaleez will most probably not play that game, and that is a concern for companies contemplating investments in a country where law and order will not become part of the deal.

Oil companies may be seeing this as trump having them invest heavy amounts of money (using their money), which will take them more than a decade to begin making a profit while trump, his minions and the Venezuelan regime continue to suck up the money from it.

Venezuelans, put aside the fact that they are dealing with a crook, a convicted felon who has no interest in helping anyone but himself, and I understand, they are desperate to get rid of the regime, but that is not what trump has in mind, trump feels well amongst thieves, so he needs the regime to do his dirty work. I feel bad for the Venezuelan people, I hope that I am wrong, but I don't see anything good coming out of this. Maduro should end the rest of his life in jail for allowing torture, crime, corruption, to reign in that country, but lets be real, he did not plan any of it, he is not smart enough to have fresh ideas, the real architects are the ones negotiating with trump, and those are the ones who are still in power, becoming trump's associates in the continued debacle that is Venezuela. "God creates them and they join together," thieves amongst thieves.

[MLWR]

3. Yeah, right. He'll take investments wherever he can get them. Even Exxon.

No one wants to throw money into Venezuela; they have all had experience with that and it wasn't good for them.

[KS Toronado]

4. "Watch what happens when you don't kiss my ass."

said Gropenfuhrer

[lonely bird]

5. Exxon has more money than Trump

Exxon needs to be ready with a massive suit if Trump takes any action against them. Hit the government and Trump personally.

[Dr. T]

6. Let me guess which presidential candidate the Exxon CEO

supported during the last election. I'm sure they pumped millions into Orangey's campaign.

Now, they dare to tell the emperor that he has no clothes, stating the obvious that Venezuela isn't worth investing in.

The oil execs that did nervously say yes are now squirming and desperately looking for an off ramp.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Remember this?

Trump promised to scrap climate laws if US oil bosses donated $1bn – report

Ed Pilkington in New York

Thu 9 May 2024 11.16 EDT
Last modified on Thu 9 May 2024 15.36 EDT



Donald Trump dangled a brazen “deal” in front of some of the top US oil bosses last month, proposing that they give him $1bn for his White House re-election campaign and vowing that once back in office he would instantly tear up Joe Biden’s environmental regulations and prevent any new ones, according to a bombshell new report.

According to the Washington Post, the former US president made his jaw-dropping pitch, which the paper described as “remarkably blunt and transactional”, at a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago home and club.

In front of more than 20 executives, including from Chevron, Exxon and Occidental Petroleum, he promised to increase oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, remove hurdles to drilling in the Alaskan Arctic, and reverse new rules designed to cut car pollution. He would also overturn the Biden administration’s decision in January to pause new natural gas export permits which have been denounced as “climate bombs”. “You’ll get it on the first day,” Trump said, according to the Post, citing an unnamed dinner attendee.

Trump’s exhortation to the oil executives that they were wealthy enough to pour $1bn into his campaign war-chest, at the same time pledging a U-turn on Biden’s efforts to combat the climate crisis, was immediately denounced on Wednesday by environmental groups. “$1bn for Trump, a devastating climate future for the rest of us,” said Pete Maysmith of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV).

(snip)

[IronLionZion]

7. They don't want it. So he's threatening to block them from something they don't want

Shart of the deal

[Ray Bruns]

8. That's what I was thinking. "You want to invest in this company!"

“Not really!” There’s a lot of problems with it.”
“Then I am going to forbid you from investing in it.”
“Okay!”
“No, I’m really not going to invest in it.”
“What are you stupid? I said okay.”

[BumRushDaShow]

15. But then there will be the "rest of the story..."

"Well since I announced this WONDERFUL opportunity that you refused to accept, then I'll have a word with Chris (Wright), and he'll take a look at your licenses, as I understand that some may not be 'in order'."

[Ray Bruns]

25. Ahhhh! Some good old fashioned extortion.

[BumRushDaShow]

27. "Transactional" as is often mentioned

"I scratch your back and you scratch mine".

That is why he bitched so about (D) Rep. Cuellar in TX getting a pardon, but then not "reciprocating" by either switching parties or resigning to give his seat to the GOP.

[tanyev]

13. "Oh please don't throw us into that briar patch!" 🤭

[LisaM]

11. I never thought in a million years...

that we would somehow have a president that actually put me (somewhat) on the same side as oil and Big Pharma. I still think both have caused great harm and need a lot more regulation, but I actually tend to agree with their POV when it comes to Trump.
.

[Old Crank]

12. Break even for new wells in Texas $62

Is above the current price of oil. He can't increase supply without lowering prices which will hurt US oil companies.

There was a lease bidding for CO land the day before with no takers.

Venezuelan crude will take over $80 to produce. Plus 20 billion in infrastructure maintenance.

Drill baby drill is dead.

[twodogsbarking]

14. You can lead an oil company to oil but you can't make them drill.

[Lonestarblue]

16. Trump is a lame-duck president. All his policies could be reversed with a Democratic president elected in 2028.

By then, the US may already be out of Venezuela but a Democrat would certainly stop “running” the country. Any action on Greenland would be reversed. No CEO wants to invest billions to create an industry that might only be operational for a year before it gets dismantled again or the terms get renegotiated so that Venezuela gets some of the revenue instead of none as Trump plans. Like most of Trump’s deals, it’s a loser.

[JohnnyRingo]

18. The other oil companies probably feel likewise.

But they're playing it out just in case sane people intercede and make it a moot issue.
I can see why they'd rather drill offshore and in wildlife reserves instead of a war torn country with armed rebels. They no doubt think Trump is full of shit as much as we do.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. "But they're playing it out just in case sane people intercede and make it a moot issue."

They will have to manufacture "sane people" with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to their campaign coffers, complete with specific instructions.

[Hope22]

20. Sir, redirect your thoughts to the disaster that is this country!

You’re fired!!

[littlemissmartypants]

21. I remember reading once a while back that the oil companies had agreed that the per barrel price...

Needs or needed to be 90-100 USD to begin to be profitable.

President Psychopath has the worst possible advisors aka synchophants consisting of those who are uninformed and drunk with power simultaneously disregarding facts like this.

Combining a bunch of ignorant 'yes men' types with an ignorant psychopath makes not only a dangerous, but a ridiculously incompetent, combination and that just compounds the danger for us all.

So in the presence of facts, as shared by Exxon Mobil or any other entity, their stupidity is in the spotlight. It becomes an instance of exposing that the emperor has no clothes and is a blatant insult to his ego.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. The Dallas Federal Reserve does an annual survey to the oil producers asking about what their "breakeven" price is

(I have posted this a few times but did find their most recent one within the past week or so - for 2025) -

DALLAS FED BREAKEVENS (2025)

[littlemissmartypants]

32. So...

If I'm correctly interpreting the graph, 90 looks like the high for 50% of those reporting and around 80 for the other half. But this addresses drilling new wells. I looked at the site. Numbers seem to be hovering between 90-100 USD.

The downturn is noticeable throughout. The oil companies cannot be too happy about that. President Psychopath dicking around in anything is a recipe for disaster. If they gave him that billion then he's fixed them "good fashion" as granny used to say.

I'm so tired of waking up every morning and saying to myself (and the dog) "I wonder what the president of the United States has fucked up today, so far?"

[BumRushDaShow]

35. The next report won't happen until this March

so the figures may change.

The 2024 one looked like this -

DALLAS FED BREAKEVENS (2024)



And note - THAT is just for U.S. sourced locations. It would probably be ridiculous trying to drill something new in Venezuela!

[littlemissmartypants]

40. It will be interesting to see that March report. ❤️

[Botany]

22. Venezuelan oil needs a very certain type of refinery and Exxon doesn't have those refineries....

…. and does not see as building new ones as profitable for a number of reasons such as
Venezuela will be too unstable to invest in Venezuelan oil for a multi number of reasons.

Gee, Donny your Fox News shits might not know what they are talking about.

Exxon, “We see that investing into Venezuelan oil as a money losing venture so we aren’t going to
do that.”

Trump, “O.K. Exxon you can’t invest into Venezuelan oil.”

Exxon, “Fine by us.”

[Strelnikov_]

38. Orange Julius buddy does though, 3 of em

Bought CITGO a few months ago.

Completely unrelated.

[Botany]

41. You mean the refineries on the Gulf Coast that are already set up for Venezuelan oil?

I wonder how big a kick back that Trump will get?

[Strelnikov_]

42. Per Paul Krugman a week or so ago

Had been wondering about those refinery’s.

Which is not to say that nobody has profited from the abduction of Maduro. A few months ago Trumpist billionaire Paul Singer bought Citgo, the former U.S.-based arm of Venezuela’s state-run oil company. Citgo owns three Gulf Coast refineries custom-built to process Venezuelan crude, refineries that have suffered from the U.S. embargo on imports of that crude. If Trump lifts that embargo, Singer will receive a huge windfall. But this windfall will have nothing to do with reviving Venezuelan production.

Singer has made huge political donations to Trump, raising questions about how much he has influenced policy. His purchase of Citgo was also remarkably well-timed. What did he know?

[Botany]

43. The Republican/Rich shits along with various corps, thugs, crypto scammers, and ? have taken corruption to ...

…. astronomical levels. Trump demanding oil from Venezuela by using the U.S. Military should
be called what it is …. armed robbery. I wonder what % Trump will get in a kickback from Singer?

Watch Trump and the Republicans find a way to weaken the air quality standards for known pollutants
that come from Venezuelan oil.

[Strelnikov_]

44. Much bigger than Teapot Dome

The Harding administration were pikers when it comes to raw grift compared to this crew.

[JI7]

23. He is trying to get them to pay him some way

He is greedy and will always demand more. Especially when he thinks he has done something for someone that they need to repay him for. This is how he thinks.

[nwduke]

24. Is this the

I quit, your fired scenario? Exxon already told the orange buffoon it’s a stupid idea to go into Venezuela!

[oasis]

26. Exactly!

[70sEraVet]

29. I need a tee shirt that reads .....

"My crooked dictator invaded Venezuela, and all I got was ANOTHER crooked dictator!"

[littlemissmartypants]

33. Great protest sign, 70sEraVet. There are shops on Etsy that can do that shirt for you. ❤️

[TBF]

30. I'm near Houston and this is what I'm hearing -

big oil, as they are sometimes referred to, is not interested in tossing in good money after bad. This is all Trump; HE wants to profit off of that oil. So, he is doing his usual shakedown like he did to the universities and big law. He wants them to start up operations, and then he will demand his cut. So far it looks like they are not amused.

[littlemissmartypants]

34. The numbers I just looked at, that BRDS shared, support that notion.

https://www.dallasfed.org/research/energy/indicators/2025/en2504

[NickB79]

39. Oil is already barely at break even prices

Any cheaper and oil fields in Texas and North Dakota start losing money on every barrel they pump.

The last thing they want is to invest billions in order to flood the market with even more oil and crash the price further.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

31. trump's feelings were hurt

[tonekat]

36. Rex Tillerson looked at trump in the first term

And saw a moron. I'm sure Exxon is cognizant of that judgement today.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. I couldn't remember his name

but I knew he used to be CEO of ExxonMobil. He trashed the hell out of 45 for years after being fired.